Background: Lipocalin prostaglandin D2 synthase (LPGDS) is a bile acid binding protein that has been found to have a significant role in glucose metabolism and appetite. In performing sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and gastric bypass in rodent models, we have also demonstrated LPGDS appears to have an important role in the beneficial metabolic effects seen after surgery. We have sought to correlate if LPGDS has a significant clinical effect in humans for surgical weight loss.
Methods: Serum LPGDS levels were obtained in patients undergoing SG before, and then one month following surgery. Serum LPGDS was also measured in subjects undergoing a very low calorie diet (VLCD) program before, and then one month following the start of the program. LPGDS levels were measured by ELISA and analyzed.
Results: Subjects that underwent surgical loss went from 304.45 +/-74 pounds before surgery to 271.4 +/- 70 pounds one month following surgery. Subjects that underwent VLCD went from 273.1 +/- 65 pounds before the program to 255 +/-61 pounds one month after starting the program. LPGDS levels for surgical weight loss increased from 579.9 +/-161 ng/mL before the program to 694.6 +/- 448 ng/mL one month after surgery. LPGDS for VLCD was 583.1 +/- 187 ng/mL before the program and 598.4 +/- 165 ng/mL one month after starting the program.
Conclusion: LPGDS levels appear to increase after sleeve gastrectomy but not VLCD, although this trend is not statistically significant. Further study is needed to confirm this trend.
R.G. Lau: None. S. Kumar: None. J. Lee: None. T. Palaia: None. S. Islam: None. C. Brathwaite: None. L. Ragolia: None.