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Background: Innate immune system participates actively into inflammatory processes, with immune cells and liver secreting a number of immune peptides. Among them, both soluble CD14 receptor (sCD14) and human neutrophil alpha-defensins (HNDs) may represent serum markers of necro-inflammation in obese patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease., Methods: To verify this hypothesis, we investigated changes in circulating levels of sCD14 and HNDs in 11 severely obese young women following surgery-induced weight loss (bilio-pancreatic diversion). Patients were evaluated before surgery and 2 years later, with NAS score evaluated on liver biopsies and whole body glucose uptake (M value) by euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp., Results: NAS score improved in nine patients [median NAS score in the whole sample, 6 (5-6) vs. 3 (3-4), p = 0.016]. Serum concentrations of HNDs decreased significantly in all (p = 0.016), whilst sCD14 increased only in the nine women who showed the amelioration of the NAS score [2.4 (1.7-2.6) vs. 2.6 (2.3-3.3) μg/ml, p = 0.001]. NAS score and HNDs correlated significantly both before (r(o) = 0.671, p = 0.02) and after weight loss (r(o) = 0.683, p = 0.029), NAS score and sCD14 only before surgery (r(o) = 0.605, p = 0.04). The M value increased in all patients [2.67 (1.99-3.01) vs. 6.89 (6.35-7.32) mg kg (FFM)(-1)min(-1); p = 0.01], but independently of NAS score changes., Conclusions: Changes in levels of HNDs and sCD14 accompany those in hepatic necro-inflammation due to surgical-induced weight loss. Further studies are needed to verify any causative role of these peptides in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

Context: Obesity may be regarded as a low-grade inflammatory state., Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in pro-inflammatory adipocytokines and the innate immune system, cardiovascular risk, and insulin sensitivity after massive weight loss., Design: This was a longitudinal study., Setting: The study was conducted at Catholic University, Rome., Subjects and Methods: There were 10 normoglucose-tolerant obese women evaluated before and 36 months after bilio-pancreatic diversion (BPD). Glucose sensitivity (M value) was estimated using the euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp. Mannan-binding lectin (MBL), bactericidal/permeability increasing protein (BPI), alpha-defensins, soluble CD14 receptor (sCD14), C-reactive protein, adiponectin, leptin, visfatin, IL-6, and TNF-alpha were assayed., Results: After massive weight loss (53% of excess body weight), leptin (P

Background: The HAIR-AN syndrome is a rare multisystem disorder in women, that consists of hyperandrogenism (HA), insulin resistance (IR) and acanthosis nigricans (AN). The IR is likely due to a primary defect of the insulin receptor., Methods: We report the case of a 42-year-old Caucasian woman with HAIR-AN syndrome, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), mild hyperlipemia, and hypertension, who underwent biliopancreatic diversion (BPD)., Results: Within 24 months follow-up after BPD, impaired glucose tolerance, mild hyperlipemia, and hypertension completely reversed. Although insulin sensitivity, estimated by the euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp, did not improve, signs and symptoms of hyperandrogenism and acanthosis nigricans resolved fully., Conclusion: In HAIR-AN syndrome, malabsorptive bariatric surgery is effective in improving hyperandrogenism and acanthosis nigricans, with noteworthy esthetic consequences. BPD was followed by disappearance of co-morbidities of the syndrome, such as IGT, hypertension and hyperlipemia.

Background: Patients who have undergone biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) show a high incidence of mild hypocalcemia, which may become symptomatic and life-treating after an extensive thyroid operation., Methods: 4 cases are reported of women who had undergone BPD, who subsequently underwent near-total thyroidectomy for extensive multinodular goiter., Results: The first patient developed severe symptomatic hypocalcemia with malnutrition in the long-term, that required elongation of the common limb of the BPD. The second and third patients developed severe symptomatic hypocalcemia immediately after the thyroidectomy. In the fourth patient, preventive and continuing intravenous administration of calcium gluconate was started in the early hours after the thyroidectomy and allowed a safe and fast discharge home., Conclusion: In patients who are candidates for both thyroid and bariatric surgery, surgeons should carefully evaluate the opportunity to perform the thyroidectomy first. BPD patients who later undergo thyroidectomy should be perioperatively routinely treated with intravenous calcium and, whenever appropriate, intravenous vitamin D, to allow a safe and rapid discharge.