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Weight loss after bariatric surgery may be affected by free T3 levels

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ORLANDO, Fla. — Adults with obesity and high levels of free triiodothyronine may lose more weight following bariatric surgery than adults with lower levels of free triiodothyronine, according to research presented here.

“Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for obesity, and thyroid function plays a central role in body weight regulation,” João Sérgio Neves, MD, resident of endocrinology at the São João Hospital and assistant in the department of surgery and physiology at the faculty of medicine, University of Porto in Portugal, said in a news release. “However, the predictors of weight loss after bariatric surgery have remained largely unknown.”

Neves and colleagues evaluated 649 adults (mean age, 41.8 years) with obesity (mean BMI before surgery, 44.65 kg/m²) and normal thyroid function who underwent bariatric surgery to determine the effect of preoperative thyroid function on weight loss after surgery.

Among the cohort, excess weight loss was 66.68% 1 year after bariatric surgery. Weight loss was not affected by preoperative levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone, free thyroxine or free triiodothyronine (T₃) within the reference range. However, a subgroup of participants (11.4%) with free T₃ levels higher than the reference range (> 3.71 pg/mL) experienced significantly greater weight loss (76.6%) compared with participants with normal free T₃ levels (65.4%; P < .001). After adjustment for age, sex, BMI, surgery type, TSH and free T₄ levels, weight loss was still significantly greater in participants with free T₃ levels higher than the reference range.

“It seems that the patients with high T₃ are those that get the most benefits from bariatric surgery,” Neves told Endocrine Today. “It may be interesting to test if the supplementation of T₃ in patients submitted to bariatric surgery could improve the weight loss after the treatment.” – by Amber Cox

Reference:

Neves JS, et al. MON-555. Presented at: The Endocrine Society Annual Meeting; April 1-4, 2017; Orlando, Fla.

Disclosures: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.