Continued loss in visceral and intermuscular adipose tissue in weight-stable women following bariatric surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To assess changes in total (TAT), subcutaneous (SAT), visceral (VAT), and intermuscular (IMAT) adipose tissue by whole-body MRI before surgery and at 12 months and 24 months post-surgery in a subset of participants of the Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery-2.


METHODS
From 0 to 12 months, n = 20 females and 3 males; from 12 to 24 months, n = 42 females and 7 males. Paired t-tests and GLM repeated measures examined changes in TAT, SAT, VAT, and IMAT at 12 and 24 months, with sex and age as covariates.


RESULTS
Changes from 0 to 12 months included weight (-41.9 ± 12.1 kg; -36%), TAT (-33.5 ± 9.6 kg; -56%), SAT (-29.2 ± 8.2 kg; -55%), VAT (-3.3 ± 1.6 kg; -73%), and IMAT (-0.99 ± 0.68 kg; -50%), all P < 0.001. In females, from 12 to 24 months, despite relative weight stability (-1.8 ± 6.5 kg, -2%; P = 0.085), VAT (-0.5 ± 0.7 kg; -30%; P < 0.001) and IMAT (-0.2 ± 0.4 kg; -14%; P = 0.012) decreased further. In males, from 12 to 24 months, weight increased (5.1 ± 5.2 kg; 6%; P = 0.04) with no significant changes in TAT or sub-depots.


CONCLUSIONS
Bariatric surgery continues to induce favorable changes in body composition, i.e., persistent adipose tissue loss at 24 months in the absence of further significant weight loss.
New York Obesity Nutrition Research Center, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital, New York, New York, USA; Institute of Human Nutrition & Depattment of Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.
Tatiana
T
Toro-Ramos
Bret H
BH
Goodpaster
Isaiah
I
Janumala
Susan
S
Lin
Gladys W
GW
Strain
John C
JC
Thornton
Patrick
P
Kang
Anita P
AP
Courcoulas
Alfons
A
Pomp
Dympna
D
Gallagher
D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D050110:Bariatric Surgery / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000473:pathology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery; D009929:Organ Size; D015431:Weight Loss