Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Remission in Obese Patients Under Bariatric Surgery: The Role of Preoperative Triglycerides Levels

Background: There is abundant evidence reporting the relationship between triglycerides levels and type 2 diabetes mellitus, however few studies confirmed the influence of triglycerides levels on the incidence of diabetes. Bariatric surgery may lead to the remission of type 2 diabetes mellitus, but the effect of basal serum triglycerides levels on this reversal is unknown. This study aimed to assess the association between preoperative triglycerides levels and pre- and type 2 diabetes mellitus remission in obese patients one year after bariatric surgery. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted among 1959 obese patients who underwent bariatric surgery in our entre. Data on socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were used. Pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus remission was defined as normal glycaemic measures at least one year’s duration without pharmacological therapy. Logistic regression models, crude and adjusted for sex, age, preoperative serum triglycerides levels and type of bariatric surgery, were used. Results: The median of preoperative serum triglycerides level was 121.00 (SD=75.00) mg/dL, and 34.7% and 30.0% of patients presented pre- and type 2 diabetes mellitus, respectively, at baseline. Preoperative serum triglycerides levels were higher in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients (139.00 vs. 106.00 mg/dL, in normal glycaemic patients; p<0.001) and showed to be significantly correlated with fasting glycaemia, glycated haemoglobin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance and homeostasis model assessment of β-cell function. One year after bariatric surgery, 62.5% of patients with pre- or type 2 diabetes at baseline showed remission. Preoperative serum triglycerides levels were negatively associated with this remission (OR: 0.997; 95%CI=0.995–0.998), independently of, sex, age and type of bariatric surgery. Conclusions: One year after bariatric surgery, 62.5% of patients showed pre- or type 2 diabetes mellitus remission, being the preoperative serum triglycerides levels an important clinical parameter for remission. Keywords: triglycerides, diabetes, remission, obesity, bariatric surgery