The mini-gastric bypass in the management of morbid obesity in Prader-Willi syndrome: a viable option?

Metabolic and bariatric surgery for obesity in Prader Willi syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis

Obesity is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). Our objective was to compare changes in body mass index (BMI) after metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) for the treatment of obesity (BMI ≥35 kg/m2) in PWS. A systematic review of MBS in PWS was performed using PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central, identifying 254 citations. Sixty-seven patients from 22 articles met criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Patients were organized into 3 groups: laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), gastric bypass (GB), and biliopancreatic diversion (BPD). No mortality within 1 year was reported in any of the 3 groups after a primary MBS operation. All groups experienced a significant decrease in BMI at 1 year with a mean reduction in BMI of 14.7 kg/m2 (P < .001). The LSG groups (n = 26) showed significant change from baseline in years 1, 2, and 3 (P value at year 3 = .002) but did not show significance in years 5, 7, and 10. The GB group (n = 10) showed a significant reduction in BMI of 12.1 kg/m2 in the first 2 years (P = .001). The BPD group (n = 28) had a significant reduction in BMI through 7 years with an average reduction of 10.7 kg/m2 (P = .02) at year 7. Individuals with PWS who underwent MBS had significant BMI reduction sustained in the LSG, GB, and BPD groups for 3, 2, and 7 years, respectively. No deaths within 1 year of these primary MBS operations were reported in this study or any other publication.

Prader-Willi Syndrome in Adults: An Update On Nutritional Treatment and Pharmacological Approach

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare and complex genetic disorder with multiple effects on the metabolic, endocrine, and neurological systems, as well as behavioral and intellectual difficulties. Despite advances in understanding the genetic basis of obesity in PWS, there are conflicting data on its management. Therefore, the present manuscript aims to provide an update on the nutritional treatment and pharmacological approach in adult patients with PWS.

RECENT FINDINGS

The management of obesity in patients with PWS is challenging and requires the cooperation of an experienced multidisciplinary team, including the nutritionist. An adequate clinical evaluation including nutritional and biochemical parameters should be performed to tailor the best therapeutic strategy. Both lifestyle and pharmacological interventions may represent useful strategies to prevent the high rate of morbidity and mortality related to PWS. The use of bariatric surgery is still controversial. Although it is imperative to adopt an obesity prevention strategy in childhood, there is promising evidence for the treatment of obesity in adulthood with current obesity medications in conjunction with lifestyle interventions.

Critical review of bariatric surgical outcomes in patients with Prader-Willi syndrome and other hyperphagic disorders

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to review bariatric procedure outcomes among patients with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) mutations, Bardet-Biedl syndrome, and hypothalamic obesity.

METHODS

Systematic published literature review used the following search terms: "Prader-Willi syndrome," "Bardet-Biedl syndrome," "hyperphagia," "bariatric surgery," "MC4R"/"melanocortin 4 receptor", "hypothalamic obesity," and "bariatric procedure." Information collected included demographics, genetics, anthropometry, procedure type, outcomes, and complications, with inclusion of case series and clinical reports given the rarity of the disorders. For PWS, postoperative weight-change percentage and BMI up to 14 years following surgery were analyzed using general linear mixed models, with descriptive outcomes for other conditions.

RESULTS

A total of 54 publications were identified, with variable follow-up periods for 202 patients (114 with PWS, 43 with MC4R mutations, 7 with Bardet-Biedl syndrome, and 38 with hypothalamic obesity) among bariatric procedures. Weight loss of patients with PWS was greatest within 1 year of surgery, with weight-change percentage not significantly different from 0 at 5 years. Long-term results in other conditions were variable and featured suboptimal weight loss and increased reoperation risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Bariatric procedures among hyperphagic individuals, including those with PWS, report variable results and outcomes. Benefits of bariatric surgery may be less durable in hyperphagic disorders in comparison with other patients with severe obesity.

Patients with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) Underwent Bariatric Surgery Benefit more from High-Intensity Home Care

BACKGROUND

Long-term weight loss effect of bariatric surgeries for patients with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) remains controversial since factors like postoperative home care intensity may impact the outcome. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of home care intensity on long-term weight loss effect of bariatric surgery in patients with PWS.

METHODS

This was a prospective observational study on patients with PWS undergoing bariatric surgery and patients were enrolled from July 2015 to December 2016. Detailed information of patients' weight and behaviors was recorded by caregivers postoperatively. The intensities of home care applied to patients were classified into four categories (high, moderate, low, and very low) according to the records.

RESULTS

Six cases (3 males, 3 females) were enrolled in this study with LSG (n = 2), RYGB (n = 3), and LSG-DJB (n = 1) as their primary operation. The mean BMI of these participants was 46.78 ± 11.63 kg/m², and the mean age was 17.66 ± 6.59 years. All patients had at least 5 years of follow-ups, and the %EWL were 51.57 ± 23.36%, 64.54 ± 18.97%, 35.34 ± 36.53%, 19.45 ± 41.78%, and - 4.74 ± 71.50% in the half, first, second, third, and fifth year after surgery respectively. Two patients with high-intensity home care achieved a %EWL of 70.57 ± 8.86% in the fifth year after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall long-term weight loss of bariatric surgery for patients with PWS was not found through the follow-ups. Two patients with high-intensity home care maintained weight loss at the fifth-year follow-up, suggesting a pivotal role of high-intensity home care in long-term outcomes of bariatric surgery in patients with PWS.

Obesity in Prader-Willi syndrome: physiopathological mechanisms, nutritional and pharmacological approaches

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a genetic disorder caused by the lack of expression of genes on the paternally inherited chromosome 15q11.2-q13 region. The three main genetic subtypes are represented by paternal 15q11-q13 deletion, maternal uniparental disomy 15, and imprinting defect. Clinical picture of PWS changes across life stages. The main clinical characteristics are represented by short stature, developmental delay, cognitive disability and behavioral diseases. Hypotonia and poor suck resulting in failure to thrive are typical of infancy. As the subjects with PWS age, clinical manifestations such as hyperphagia, temperature instability, high pain threshold, hypersomnia and multiple endocrine abnormalities including growth hormone and thyroid-stimulating hormone deficiencies, hypogonadism and central adrenal insufficiency due to hypothalamic dysfunction occur. Obesity and its complications are the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in PWS. Several mechanisms for the aetiology of obesity in PWS have been hypothesized, which include aberration in hypothalamic pathways of satiety control resulting in hyperphagia, disruption in hormones regulating appetite and satiety and reduced energy expenditure. However, despite the advancement in the research field of the genetic basis of obesity in PWS, there are contradictory data on the management. Although it is mandatory to adopt obesity strategy prevention from infancy, there is promising evidence regarding the management of obesity in adulthood with current obesity drugs along with lifestyle interventions, although the data are limited. Therefore, the current manuscript provides a review of the current evidence on obesity and PWS, covering physiopathological aspects, obesity-related complications and conservative management.

Bariatric surgery for Prader-Willi syndrome was ineffective in producing sustainable weight loss: Long term results for up to 10 years

BACKGROUND

Obesity control in Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is notoriously difficult. The role of bariatric surgery in PWS remains controversial as long-term data are lacking.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the 10-year outcomes of bariatric surgery in PWS.

METHODS

This was a prospective observational study on PWS patients who received bariatric surgery and multidisciplinary follow-up programmes for obesity control. Outcomes on weight reduction and comorbidity resolution were evaluated.

RESULTS

Between 2008 and 2013, five PWS patients (two males, mean age 19.2 ± 3.0 years) with body mass index of 47.3 ± 6.9 kg m^-2 received sleeve gastrectomy (n = 2), one anastomosis gastric bypass (n = 2), and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (n = 1) after failing all non-operative weight loss programmes. The median follow-up was 8.4 ± 2.2 years. The best mean percentage of total weight loss (%TWL) was achieved at 2 years (24.7%). %TWL dropped to 23.3% at 3 years, 11.9% at 5 years, 4.1% at 8 years, and 0% at 10 years. Each patient had at least three comorbidities preoperatively, but none of them had resolution of any one of the comorbidities at the last follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Bariatric surgery could not produce sustainable long-term weight loss or comorbidity resolution in PWS. This study suggests that bariatric surgery cannot be recommended to PWS patients as a standard treatment.

Fasting and postprandial acyl and desacyl ghrelin and the acyl/desacyl ratio in obese patients before and after different types of bariatric surgery

Introduction

The mechanism underlying beneficial outcomes of bariatric surgery still remains unclear. Especially little is known about hormonal and metabolic changes induced by the novel bariatric procedure mini gastric bypass (MGB).

Aim

To evaluate pre- and post-prandial changes in both ghrelin isoforms in obese patients without diabetes and cardiovascular complications treated with MGB, sleeve gastrectomy (SG) or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery.

Material and methods

From 45 patients initially enrolled in the study, 23 persons completed a one-year follow-up period. Venous blood for acyl and desacyl ghrelin (AG and DAG) as well as other metabolic assays was collected 3 months before and 6 and 12 months after bariatric surgery (MGB, RYGB, SG) – in the fasting state and 2 h after the consumption of a standard 300 kcal-mixed meal (Nutridrink standard, Nutricia).

Results

AG and DAG levels (both fasting and prandial) as well as AG/DAG ratio did not change after 6 and 12 months in MGB and RYGB groups. In the SG group we observed a significant decrease in fasting and postprandial DAG levels and consecutively an increase in the fasting AG/DAG ratio after 6 and 12 months. Six months after surgery we observed some differences between carbohydrate metabolism measures in the MGB group (lower HbA_1c, HOMA-IR and fasting insulinaemia) in comparison to the rest of the participants, but 12 months after each type of surgery body mass index and indices of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism did not differ.

Conclusions

The results of our study demonstrate that all studied bariatric procedures can successfully reduce overall body weight and suggest also that the mechanisms of weight loss and improvement in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism after all three types of surgery are independent of ghrelin and the acyl/desacyl ghrelin ratio.

Obesity management in Prader-Willi syndrome: current perspectives

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a complex multisystem disorder due to the absent expression of the paternally active genes in the PWS critical region on chromosome 15 (15q11.2-q13). The syndrome is considered the most common genetic cause of obesity, occurring in 1:10,000-1:30,000 live births. Its main characteristics include neonatal hypotonia, poor feeding, and lack of appetite in infancy, followed by weight gain, lack of satiety, and uncontrolled appetite, frequently after the age of 2-3 years. The clinical picture includes short stature, multiple endocrine abnormalities (hypogonadism, growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor-I axis dysfunction, hypothyroidism, central adrenal insufficiency), dysmorphic features, scoliosis, osteoporosis, mental retardation, and behavioral and psychiatric problems. Subjects with PWS will become severely obese unless their food intake is strictly controlled. Constant and obsessive food seeking behavior can make life very difficult for both the family and caretakers. Prevention of obesity is mandatory in these patients from the first years of life, because once obesity develops it is difficult to maintain the control of food intake. In fact, PWS subjects die prematurely from complications conventionally related to obesity, including diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, sleep apnea, respiratory insufficiency, and cardiovascular disease. The mechanisms underlying hyperphagia in PWS are not completely known, and to date no drugs have proven their efficacy in controlling appetite. Consequently, dietary restriction, physical activity, and behavior management are fundamental in the prevention and management of obesity in PWS. In spite of all available therapeutic tools, however, successful weight loss and maintenance are hardly accomplished. In this context, clinical trials with new drugs have been initiated in order to find new possibilities of a therapy for obesity in these patients. The preliminary results of these studies seem to be encouraging. On the other hand, until well-proven medical treatments are available, bariatric surgery can be taken into consideration, especially in PWS patients with life-threatening comorbidities.

Bariatric surgery in individuals with severe cognitive impairment: report of two cases

CONTEXT

Bariatric surgery has become the gold-standard treatment for refractory morbid obesity. Obesity is frequently associated with certain syndromes that include coexisting cognitive deficits. However, the outcomes from bariatric surgery in this group of individuals remain incompletely determined.

CASE REPORT

A 25-year-old male with Prader-Willi syndrome, whose intelligence quotient (IQ) was 54, was admitted with a body mass index (BMI) of 55 kg/m2, associated with glucose intolerance. He underwent the Scopinaro procedure for biliopancreatic diversion, with uneventful postoperative evolution, and presented a 55% loss of excess weight one year after the surgery, with resolution of glucose intolerance, and without any manifestation of protein-calorie malnutrition. A 28-year-old male with Down syndrome, whose IQ was 68, was admitted with BMI of 41.5 kg/m2, associated with hypertension. He underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, with uneventful postoperative evolution. He presented a 90% loss of excess weight one year after the surgery, with resolution of the hypertension.

CONCLUSION

Bariatric surgery among individuals with intellectual impairment is a controversial topic. There is a tendency among these individuals to present significant weight loss and comorbidity control, but less than what is observed in the general obese population. The severity of the intellectual impairment may be taken into consideration in the decision-making process regarding the most appropriate surgical technique. Bariatric surgery is feasible and safe among these individuals, but further research is necessary to deepen these observations.

Respiratory Failure due to Severe Obesity and Kyphoscoliosis in a 24-Year-Old Male with Molecularly Confirmed Prader-Willi Syndrome in Tertiary Hospital in Northern Tanzania

Obesity, mild intellectual disability, hypotonia, poor sucking, cryptorchidism in males, hypogonadism, and kyphoscoliosis are common features of Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). We report a case who had severe respiratory complications due to extreme obesity and kyphoscoliosis, which are important causes of morbidity and mortality, and discuss management. Furthermore, this is the first molecularly confirmed PWS case in Sub-Saharan Africa outside South Africa.

Bariatric surgery and intellectual disability: Furthering evidence-based practice

BACKGROUND

Rates of morbid obesity are higher for individuals with intellectual disability (ID). Individuals with ID may find nutritional guidelines difficult to follow and many face personal and environmental barriers for physical activity. Bariatric surgery may reduce obesity related health comorbidities while promoting sustained weight loss in diverse populations. Yet no study has reviewed the feasibility of conducting bariatric surgery on individuals with ID.

OBJECTIVES

To conduct a scoping review of literature on bariatric procedures performed on individuals with ID.

METHODS

Authors searched electronic database via PubMED, Science Direct, Wiley and Medline (1975-2014). Extracted articles were evaluated independently following scoping reviews guidelines.

RESULTS

Reviewers included sixteen studies. Nine surgical interventions were reported on 49 patients with ID. Studies followed either case report or case series design. The most common procedure patients received was biliopancreatic diversion (n = 24) followed by Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (n = 12). Degree of weight loss was the primary outcome in each study. Excess weight loss (%EWL) ranged from 12% to 86%. Further benefits included improved quality of life, decreased psychological tension within family and resolution of sleep apnea, hypertension, respiratory distress and type II diabetes. Six studies included a post-operative follow-up period below two years.

CONCLUSIONS

Bariatric surgery may be a viable option to treat obesity in individuals with ID but there is no consensus which procedure is preferred and which associated interventions should be in place to warrant long lasting results. Further research featuring randomized control trials may be beneficial.

Rare Genetic Forms of Obesity: Clinical Approach and Current Treatments in 2016

Obesity results from a synergistic relationship between genes and the environment. The phenotypic expression of genetic factors involved in obesity is variable, allowing to distinguish several clinical pictures of obesity. Monogenic obesity is described as rare and severe early-onset obesity with abnormal feeding behavior and endocrine disorders. This is mainly due to autosomal recessive mutations in genes of the leptin-melanocortin pathway which plays a key role in the hypothalamic control of food intake. Melanocortin 4 receptor(MC4R)-linked obesity is characterized by the variable severity of obesity and no notable additional phenotypes. Mutations in the MC4R gene are involved in 2-3% of obese children and adults; the majority of these are heterozygous. Syndromic obesity is associated with mental retardation, dysmorphic features, and organ-specific developmental abnormalities. Additional genes participating in the development of hypothalamus and central nervous system have been regularly identified. But to date, not all involved genes have been identified so far. New diagnostic tools, such as whole-exome sequencing, will probably help to identify other genes. Managing these patients is challenging. Indeed, specific treatments are available only for specific types of monogenic obesity, such as leptin deficiency. Data on bariatric surgery are limited and controversial. New molecules acting on the leptin-melanocortin pathway are currently being developed.