Long-term impact of sleeve gastrectomy on serum uric acid levels

BACKGROUND/AIM: Obesity is a risk factor for hyperuricemia. Bariatric surgery is an effective treatment method for metabolic control. The aim of our study was to evaluate the correlation between the preoperative and postoperative serum uric acid levels with body mass index, body weight, and excess weight loss in patients that underwent sleeve gastrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 164 patients that underwent laparoscopic and open sleeve gastrectomy were evaluated in terms of the demographic characteristics, preoperative body weight, body mass index and serum uric acid levels, and postoperative body weight, body mass index, excess weight loss and serum uric acid levels at the first, third, sixth, 12(th), 18(th) and 24(th)–36(th) months. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant increase in serum uric acid levels in the first postoperative month (p = 0.000). The patients with a high preoperative body mass index were found to have a lower excess weight loss in the first postoperative month, which was statistically significant (p = 0.000, R = −0.474). Serum uric acid levels were also positively correlated with body weight at the third and sixth postoperative months. CONCLUSION: The weight loss associated with sleeve gastrectomy is the main reason for the reduced postoperative serum uric acid levels.