Pre- and post-prandial plasma ghrelin levels do not correlate with satiety or failure to achieve a successful outcome after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.
BACKGROUND
We tested the hypothesis that the amount of weight lost after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) correlates with plasma ghrelin levels.


METHODS
36 morbidly obese patients were studied 3 years after RYGBP (6 men, 30 women) with mean initial BMI 51 kg/m2 and 8 healthy controls (2 men, 6 women) with mean BMI 25 kg/m2. Subjects consumed a light breakfast, and the first blood sample was drawn at 1200 hrs immediately before lunch and the second sample at 1400 hrs. Satiety was assessed using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Patients were stratified as success (current BMI <35) or failures (current BMI > or =35).


RESULTS
Plasma ghrelin levels were significantly lower in patients after RYGBP (269 +/- 66 pcg/ml) compared with lean controls (616 +/- 112 pcg/ml, P<0.001). Ghrelin levels pre or post meals were not different between patients who had a successful weight loss (preoperative BMI 47, current BMI 29, 72% EWL) or those who achieved a less then ideal weight loss (preoperative BMI 48, current BMI 41, 29% EWL). There was no correlation between any of the VAS scores and plasma ghrelin. There was a strong inverse correlation between pre-prandial ghrelin levels and the preoperative or current BMI.


CONCLUSIONS
Failure to lose weight after RYGBP does not correlate with pre- or post-prandial ghrelin plasma levels. Ghrelin levels were inversely proportional to BMI and did not correlate with satiety. These data do not support a role for higher plasma ghrelin levels for inadequate weight loss after RYGBP.
Christou
Nicolas V
NV
Section of Bariatric Surgery, Division of General Surgery, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada. Nicolas.christou@muhc.mcgill.ca
Look
Didier
D
McLean
Alexander Peter
AP
D000328:Adult; D000713:Anastomosis, Roux-en-Y; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D015390:Gastric Bypass / Q000379:methods*; D054439:Ghrelin; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D012527:Satiation / Q000502:physiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*
D054439:Ghrelin; D036361:Peptide Hormones