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Bariatric Surgery

Serum asprosin levels and bariatric surgery outcomes in obese adults

International Journal of Obesity volume 43, pages 1019–1025 (2019)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/Objectives

Asprosin is a novel fasting-induced glucogenic and orexigenic protein hormone. The clinical function of asprosin in obesity is currently unknown. This study investigated the association between asprosin abundance and the outcome of bariatric surgery.

Subjects/Methods

Patients with body mass index more than 35 kg/m2 were recruited for the Obesity and Clock for Elegant Aging Registry in 2011—2016. Body weight changes, blood sugar, and asprosin were assessed in 117 patients receiving bariatric surgery and 57 non-obese subjects as normal control. Primary outcomes of excess weight loss percentage at 6 months after bariatric surgery were determined at follow-up.

Results

Asprosin levels were significantly higher in obese patients than in non-obese subjects (2360 ± 5094 vs. 307 ± 832 ng/ml, p < 0.0001). Multivariate analyses showed a significant association of asprosin abundance with excess body weight loss percentage at 6 months after surgery (p < 0.0001). After adjusted for age, sex, smoking, HbA1c, cholesterol, and triglyceride, serum asprosin level was the only independent predictor of 6 months excess weight loss percentage after bariatric surgery. Asprosin levels decreased significantly 6 months after bariatric surgery (162.2 ± 169.1 ng/ml). Furthermore, there was no association between asprosin and serum glucose levels in our study.

Conclusion

This study provides novel evidence that higher asprosin concentrations before bariatric surgery were associated with the weight reduction magnitude at 6 months after surgery. Further studies are warranted to investigate whether asprosin has direct functions to modulate body weight regulation in humans after bariatric surgery.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Mei-Hsiu Lin, Hui-Ting Su, Chi-Wen Cheng, and Tsu-Hui Yeh for technical assistance. C-YW received support from the National Health Research Institute (NHRI-EX106-10617SI), National Science Council (105-2628-B-182-009-MY4), and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (CMRPG3H0131, CMRPG3H0271, and CMRPG3H0841). M-SW received support from Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (CMRPG3E1852-3 and CMRPG3E1892-3). T-SY received support from Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (CMRPG3C311 and CORPG3C0111-2). We thank the members of the OCEAN (Obesity and Clock for Elegant AgiNg) registry.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan

    Chao-Yung Wang, Victor Chien-Chia Wu & Ming-Shien Wen

  2. Department of Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    Tien-An Lin

  3. Department of General Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan

    Keng-Hau Liu, Yu-Yin Liu & Ta-Sen Yeh

  4. Department of Trauma and Emergency Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan

    Chien-Hung Liao

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  1. Chao-Yung Wang
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Correspondence to Chao-Yung Wang or Ta-Sen Yeh.

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Wang, CY., Lin, TA., Liu, KH. et al. Serum asprosin levels and bariatric surgery outcomes in obese adults. Int J Obes 43, 1019–1025 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-018-0248-1

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