Sex-Specific Changes in Body Composition Following Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Are Associated with the Remission of Metabolic Syndrome

Purpose Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) is the most effective treatment for metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, the mechanism of MetS remission after MBS remains unclear. We aimed to explore the relationship between sex differences, body composition, and the remission of MetS after MBS.Materials and Methods Cross-sectional study of 80 patients with obesity and MetS who underwent MBS with case-control design. The International Diabetes Federation criteria were used to define MetS. Body composition was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry before and 1 year after the operation. In addition to calculating changes in MetS and its prevalence, we performed a multiple logistic regression to determine predictors of MetS remission.Results There were significant differences in body composition between males and females after MBS. Both males and females had significant improvements in the overall prevalence of MetS, decreasing from 100 to 21.74% (P <0.001) and from 100 to 35.29% (P <0.001), respectively. A higher percentage of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) reduction tends to be associated with a higher chance of MetS remission in men. In females, the MetS nonremission subgroup had a higher %Trunk lean body mass (LBM), and %Android LBM reduction than the remission subgroup, but the multiple logistic regression analysis result was not statistically significant.Conclusion After MBS, reduced VAT might be related to MetS reversibility in males, while reduced LBM may result in MetS nonremission in females.

Automated summary

Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) is the most effective treatment for MetS, but the mechanism of MetS remission after MBS remains unclear. This study explored the relationship between sex differences, body composition, and the remission of MetS after MBS. The results showed that reduced VAT might be related to MetS reversibility in males, while reduced LBM may result in MetS nonremission in females.