title: Effect of bariatric surgery on both functional and structural measures of premature atherosclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To bridge the beneficial metabolic effects of pronounced weight loss on one side and the data on morbidity and mortality on the other side, we investigated the impact of profound weight loss on structural and functional markers of early atherosclerosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-seven obese adults were examined before and 18 months after bariatric surgery. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), brachial flow-mediated dilation (FMD), nitroglycerine-mediated dilation, and abdominal fat distribution were assessed by high-resolution ultrasound. Surgery resulted in a body mass index decrease of 9.1 +/- 4.9 kg/m(2) with concomitant improvements in glucose and lipid metabolism. Carotid intima-media thickness diminished from 0.56 +/- 0.09 to 0.53 +/- 0.08 mm (n = 37; P = 0.004). Flow-mediated dilation improved from 5.81 +/- 3.25 to 9.01 +/- 2.93% (n = 25; P < 0.001). Both CIMT and FMD were associated with intra-abdominal fat diameter.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results demonstrate that bariatric surgery-induced diminution of visceral fat improves both functional and structural markers of early atherosclerosis, providing a link between the weight loss-associated improvements of traditional and non-traditional risk factors and the reduced long-term morbidity and mortality after bariatric surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine I, Innsbruck Medical University, Anichstrasse 35, Innsbruck 6020, Austria.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sturm
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tschoner
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Engl
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaser
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laimer
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ciardi
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klaus
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sandhofer
authors.forename: Josef R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Patsch
authors.forename: Christoph F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Ebenbichler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D050110:Bariatric Surgery; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000473:pathology; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology; D015431:Weight Loss; D055815:Young Adult