Plasma CRP levels are not predictive of the diagnosis of NASH in severely obese patients. The liver but also the adipose tissue can produce CRP, a process which could be dependent on IL6. Therefore, both tissues might contribute to the elevated plasma CRP levels found in obesity. In addition, the large amount of body fat may well produce an important part of the circulating CRP, further limiting its clinical usefulness in the evaluation of NASH in severely obese patients.
SUMMARY BackgroundNon-invasive approaches are useful to differentiate simple steatosis from non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in obese and morbidly obese patients.
The epidemic in obesity has led to an increase in number of so called bariatric procedures. Doctors are less comfortable managing an obese patient after bariatric surgery. Peri-operative mortality is less than 1%. The specific feature in the obese patient is that the classical signs of peritoneal irritation are never present as there is no abdominal wall and therefore no guarding or rigidity. Simple post-operative tachycardia in obese patients should be taken seriously as it is a WARNING SIGNAL. The most common complication after surgery is peritonitis due to anastomotic fistula formation. This occurs typically as an early complication within the first 10 days post-operatively and has an incidence of 1-6% after gastric bypass and 3-7% after sleeve gastrectomy. Post-operative malnutrition is extremely rare after restrictive surgery (ring, sleeve gastrectomy) although may occur after malabsorbative surgery (bypass, biliary pancreatic shunt) and is due to the restriction and change in absorption. Prophylactic cholecystectomy is not routinely carried out during the same procedure as the bypass. Superior mesenteric vein thrombosis after bariatric surgery is a diagnosis which should be considered in the presence of any postoperative abdominal pain. Initially a first etiological assessment is performed (measurement of antithrombin III and of protein C and protein S, testing for activated protein C resistance). If the least doubt is present, a medical or surgical consultation should be requested with a specialist practitioner in the management of obese patients as death rates increase with delayed diagnosis.
Iron depletion is common in morbidly obese women. Low-grade chronic inflammation associated with obesity could be a modulator of iron uptake and utilization. Bariatric surgery may reduce chronic inflammation and improve iron status.
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