Changes in Plasma Growth Differentiation Factor-15 After Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy in Morbidly Obese Patients: A Prospective Study

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the potential changes of Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) in morbidly obese patients.

Methods: We conducted a prospective study on 68 patients who underwent LSG and 58 cases, who were enrolled as a control group, to whom conservative measures of weight loss were adopted. Both groups were followed for 12 months.

Results: At the baseline, the serum GDF15 was comparable between LSG and conservative groups (409.93±119 versus 385.8±120.2 pg/mL, p =0.246). However, at 12 months after the operation, the serum GDF15 was significantly higher in the LSG than conservative groups (699.941 ±193.5 versus 559 ±159.7; p <0.001). The degree of serum GDF15 increase was higher in the LSG group (290.01 ±189.9 versus 173.14 ±116.7; p <0.001). The degree of serum GDF15 increase correlated negatively with the final BMI (r = -0.352, p =0.001) and weight loss (r = -0.793, p =0.001) at 12 months after the operation. The correlation analysis demonstrated that the initial GFD15 did not correlate with any baseline parameters. Multiple regression analysis of change in serum GDF15 showed a statistical significance of the weight loss after 12 months.

Conclusion: The present work confirms the impact of successful weight loss on the circulating level of GDF15. Our study demonstrated that the circulating GDF15 increased significantly after LSG and it was correlated to the degree of weight loss.