EFFECTS OF BARIATRIC SURGERY IN PATIENTS WITH NON-ALCOHOLIC ESTEATOHEPATITIS (NASH)

Abstract

Obesity is the factor that is most associated with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Bariatric surgery has been shown to be effective in NASH and, along with treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and dyslipidemia, they achieve a significant improvement in liver enzymes and liver ultrasound changes. Objective: To analyze the effect of bariatric surgery in patients with a body mass index (BMI) > 35 kg/m²and NASH. Method: It was performed a retrospective investigation of 20 patients who underwent bariatric surgery: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) or sleeve gastrectomy (SG) between 2014 and 2015. Results: Of the 20 patients, 14 underwent BPGYR and 6 GV; 95% were female, with a mean age of 35.95 ± 8.54 years. The preoperative levels ??of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) for all patients were >30 U/L. Postoperative levels ??of AST and ALT one year after surgery were normal in 85% and 80% of cases, respectively. No alterations were observed in pre and postoperative levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). All patients presented moderate hepatic fat infiltration which was reduced to mild or without fat infiltration one year after surgery according to the ultrasonographic evaluation. Conclusions: Bariatric surgery was shown to have a favorable impact on NASH due to the improvement observed in AST and ALT levels, and hepatic steatosis corroborated by ultrasound scans.