Effect of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy on serum levels of Resistin, Visfatin, and Apelin

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the changes in serum levels of resistin, apelin, and visfatin in patients with severe obesity before and after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) and to examine the relationship between weight loss and these adipokines.Materials and Methods: The serum levels of resistin, visfatin, and apelin were measured in 44 severely obese patients who underwent LSG. Blood samples were collected before surgery and at 3 months after the surgery along with anthropometric measurements and insulin resistance determined by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR).Results: Significant decreases in body-mass index (p < 0.001) and HOMA-IR (p = 0.020) were achieved at 3 months after the surgery. While postop serum resistin levels increased compared with preop values (p < 0.001), serum apelin levels were found to be lower after surgery (p = 0.030), and there was no statistically significant difference between preop and postop serum visfatin concentrations (p = 0.255). No correlation was found between weight loss and serum adipokine levels.Conclusions: LSG is an effective procedure for losing weight and reducing insulin resistance in a short period of time; however, further studies are needed to understand the role of these adipokines in regulation and/or dysregulation of obesity.