Short-Term Assessment of High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP) Changes Following One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass (OAGB) in Patients with Obesity: A Prospective Cohort Study

Background: Obesity, characterized by excessive adipose tissue, is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation and elevated inflammatory markers such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). This inflammation is linked to obesity-associated medical problems, including cardiovascular diseases. One anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) has emerged as an effective metabolic and bariatric surgical procedure to address severe obesity and its associated inflammatory state. This study aims to evaluate the changes in hs-CRP levels following OAGB in patients with obesity.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 71 participants with BMI > 35 kg/m², with or without obesity-associated medical problems, underwent OAGB. The hs-CRP levels were measured at baseline, 1 day, 5 days, 30 days, and 6 months post-surgery.

Results: The median baseline hs-CRP level was 8.5 mg/L, initially increasing post-surgery to 19 mg/L, but significantly decreased to 3.5 mg/L at 6 months (p < 0.001). Significant reductions in weight and BMI were also observed, with median total weight loss (%TWL) of 29% and excess weight loss (%EWL) of 68.2% over 6 months. Pre-operative hs-CRP levels were the only significant predictor of CRP reduction post-surgery.

Conclusions: OAGB significantly reduces systemic inflammation by decreasing hs-CRP levels, alongside substantial weight loss. These findings support OAGB as a beneficial intervention for mitigating inflammation and improving metabolic conditions in patients with obesity. Further, long-term studies are warranted to evaluate the sustained impact of OAGB on inflammatory markers and obesity-associated medical problems.