Effect of pronounced weight loss on the nontraditional cardiovascular risk marker matrix metalloproteinase-9 in middle-aged morbidly obese women.
OBJECTIVE
Obesity is associated with increased morbidity and mortality from atherosclerotic disease. Nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are elevated in obese subjects and weight loss is associated with an attenuation of these risk factors. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) has been linked to plaque rupture, and is, thus, a candidate marker of future myocardial events. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of weight loss on MMP-9 plasma concentrations.


RESULTS
CRP, IL-6 and MMP-9 were analyzed from samples of 45 morbidly obese, middle-aged women before gastric banding and 1 y postsurgical treatment in this prospective study. The body mass index (BMI) of subjects decreased from 42.5+/-4.9 to 32.3+/-5.3 kg/m(2) 1 y after gastric banding. In parallel, both MMP-9 and CRP were reduced by 23 and 41%, respectively. A positive relationship was found between BMI and MMP-9 (r=0.312, P<0.05), and between CRP and IL-6 (r=0.508, P<0.05), whereas no correlation was found between CRP and MMP-9.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that weight loss is associated with a pronounced decrease in the nontraditional cardiovascular risk markers MMP-9 and CRP, which could indicate future beneficial effects of weight loss on the cardiovascular risk in weight loosing subjects.
Laimer
M
M
Clinical Department of Internal Medicine, Clinical Division of General Internal Medicine, Medical University Innsbruck, Austria.
Kaser
S
S
Kranebitter
M
M
Sandhofer
A
A
Mühlmann
G
G
Schwelberger
H
H
Weiss
H
H
Patsch
J R
JR
Ebenbichler
C F
CF
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000097:blood*; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*
D015415:Biomarkers; D015850:Interleukin-6; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9