title: Effect of weight loss on aerobic capacity in patients with severe obesity before and after bariatric surgery.
abstract: Severe obesity has been associated with adverse effects on physical capacity. In a prospective study, the aerobic capacity of severely obese patients was measured in order to observe the physiological response to weight loss from bariatric surgery. Sixty-five consecutive patients (40.4 +/- 8.4 years old; 93.8% female; body mass index = 49.4 +/- 5.4 kg/m(2)) were evaluated before bariatric surgery and then 6 and 12 months after surgery. Aerobic capacity was assessed with a scientific treadmill to measure maximal oxygen consumption (VO(2max)), heart rate, blood pressure, time on the treadmill, and distance walked (modified Bruce test). For the three observational periods, VO(2max) was 25.4 +/- 9.3, 29.8 +/- 8.1, and 36.7 +/- 8.3 ml/kg/min; time on the treadmill was 5.4 +/- 1.4, 6.4 +/- 1.6, and 8.8 +/- 1.0 min; and distance walked was 401.8 +/- 139.1, 513.4 +/- 159.9, and 690.5 +/- 76.2 m. For these variables, significant results (p = 0.0000) were observed for the two postoperative periods in relation to the preoperative period. Severely obese individuals increased their aerobic capacity after successful bariatric surgery. The data also suggests that a positive and progressive relationship between weight loss and improvement in fitness as a moderate loss of weight 6 months after surgery already showed some benefit and an additional reduction in weight was associated with a better performance in the aerobic capacity tests at the 12-month follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Londrina State University, Rua Robert Koch, 60 Vila Operária, 86038-440 Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. shirleysouza@uel.br
authors.forename: Shirley Aparecida Fabris
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Faintuch
authors.forename: Antonio Fernando
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Sant'anna
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050110:Bariatric Surgery / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D057234:Preoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss