Steatosis and hepatic markers before and shortly after bariatric surgery

Abstract

Background: We present new findings on liver steatosis detected in a group of 20 morbidly obese patients who were reassessed shortly after bariatric surgery (BS) by assaying hepatic markers in their serum. Methods: We assayed aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, γ-glutamyl transferase (g-GT), cholinesterase, cholesterol, total protein, and albumin, and measured the weight and the body mass index (BMI) of patients, before and one and three months after surgery. Results: There were significant reductions in BMI following surgery and also falls in transaminases and γ-GT activities three months after BS. No changes occurred in other parameters between periods, except that cholesterol was above reference values before BS and fell to normal levels three months after BS. Conclusions: We suggest that before undergoing surgery, the patients suffered from slight steatosis, while after BS the reduction in AST and γ-GT indicated that this condition was corrected within three months. Moreover, these enzymes may be useful markers for excess fat in the liver. © 2007 The Association for Clinical Biochemistry.