January - March 2013, Volume 9, Issue 1

Elian VI, Serafinceanu C

WEIGHT LOSS IN YOUNG OBESE SUBJECTS IMPROVES LIPIDS AND ADIPOKINES LEVELS AND REDUCES ARTERIAL STIFFNESS

Acta Endo (Buc) 2013, 9 (1): 79-86
doi: 10.4183/aeb.2013.79

Background The cardiovascular risk in obese patients is very high and is the main cause of mortality and morbidity. While many studies have focused on obese patients who already developed cardiovascular pathologies few tried to address the prevention of atherosclerosis in healthy young adults. Objectives In the present study we assessed the effect of weight loss on atherosclerosis risk factors and on vascular stiffness. While no important clinical events were expected our goal was to show that weight loss in obese patients will lower the vascular risk. Subjects and methods 159 obese patients with no cardiovascular pathology were assigned, for 6 months, to either weight loss program or a weight maintenance recommendation. The intensive care group subjects participated to weekly visits consisting of counseling on hypocaloric diets and physical exercise programs. We have measured BMI, lipid profile, adipokines levels, glycemia as well as markers of arterial stiffness (CAVI, BP, ABI). Results At the study endpoint, we found a clinically and statistically significant (p<0.001) difference between the lipid and the adipokines profiles, and, in univariate analysis, this difference correlates with weight loss: for total cholesterolemia decrease r= 0.63, LDL decrease r= 0.65, HDL increase r= -0.48, adiponectin increase r= -0.59, leptin decrease r=0.6 and also with abdominal circumference decrease. We also found correlation between vascular stiffness parameters (CAVI, diastolic blood pressure) and the adipose tissue loss (r = 0,71; p < 0,001 for CAVI and r = 0,4; p = 0,001 for DBP). Conclusions : We found that using a moderate hypocaloric diet and encouraging physical exercise, even after a short period of time, subjects can lose weight, mainly by losing fat mass. The weight loss improved the lipid and adipokines levels and had reduced vascular stiffness

Keywords: stiffness, obesity, lifestyle intervention, adipokines.

Correspondence: Viviana Iulia Elian MD, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy - Diabetes, Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases, 5-7, I. Movila Street, Bucharest, 020475, Romania, E-mail: vivelian@yahoo.com