Gender difference in the relationship between serum uric acid reduction and improvement in body fat distribution after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in Chinese obese patients: a 6-month follow-up

BACKGROUND: Hyperuricemia is related to obesity and fat accumulation. This study aimed to observe the effects of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) on serum uric acid (sUA) level and body fat distribution in obese patients. The relationships between post-LSG improvement in sUA levels and body fat distribution changes, as well as their sex-related differences, were also explored. METHODS: In total, 128 obese patients (48 men; 80 women) who underwent LSG were enrolled. Anthropometric indicators, glucose and lipid metabolic indicators, and sUA levels were measured pre-LSG and 6 months post-LSG. The body compositions were measured via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The patients were divided into normal-sUA (NUA) and high-sUA (HUA) groups based on preoperative sUA levels. RESULTS: Compared with the NUA group, the reduction of sUA levels 6 months post-LSG was more significant in the HUA group. In addition, sUA reduction in the female HUA group was more significant than that of the male HUA group (P < 0.01). Changes in serum uric acid levels (ΔsUA) in the male HUA group was positively correlated with changes in body weight, body mass index, neck circumference, and hip circumference (r = 0.618, 0.653, 0.716, and 0.501, respectively; P < 0.05 in all cases). It was also positively correlated with changes in fat mass in the gynoid region, android region, and legs, (r = 0.675, 0.551, and 0.712, respectively; P < 0.05 in all cases), and negatively correlated with changes in total testosterone (ΔTT) (r = − 0.517; P = 0.040). Furthermore, ΔTT in this group was closely associated with the improved sex-related fat distribution. The ΔsUA in the female HUA group was positively correlated with changes in fasting serum C peptide and ΔLNIR (r = 0.449 and 0.449, respectively; P < 0.05 in both cases). In addition, it was also positively correlated with changes in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) fat mass, VAT fat volume, and VAT fat area (r = 0.749, 0.749, and 0.747, respectively; P < 0.01 in all cases). CONCLUSIONS: sUA levels of obese patients with hyperuricemia improved 6 months after LSG. Reduction of sUA after LSG was correlated with improved body fat distribution, and the relationships also displayed sex-based differences. Uric acid might be an important metabolic regulator associated with fat distribution and sex hormones.