Background Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is common in subjects with morbid obesity; the effect of weight loss programs on bowel symptoms is largely unknown. Methods This prospective cohort study explored bowel symptoms, health scores, and biomarkers in subjects with morbid obesity during a six-month-long conservative weight loss intervention. Bowel symptoms were assessed with IBS-severity scoring system (IBS-SSS) and Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale-IBS. Changes in all variables and associations between the changes in bowel symptoms and the other variables were analysed. Results Eighty-eight subjects (81% females) were included. Body mass index was reduced from 42.0 (3.6) to 38.7 (3.5) (p < 0.001). IBS-SSS was reduced from 116 (104) to 81 (84) (p=0.001). In all, 19 out of 25 variables improved significantly. In subjects with and without IBS at inclusion, the improvement in IBS-SSS was 88 (95% CI 55 to 121) and 10 (95% CI −9 to 29), respectively. Improved bowel symptoms were associated with improved subjective well-being, sense of humour, and vitamin D and negatively associated with reduced body mass index. Conclusion Body mass index and health scores improved during a conservative weight loss intervention. Subjects with IBS before the intervention had a clinically significant improvement in bowel symptoms.

BackgroundIrritable bowel syndrome has been reported as more common in patients with morbid obesity than in the general population. The reason for this association is unknown. The aims of this study were to study the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome and other functional bowel disorders in patients with morbid obesity, and to search for predictors of irritable bowel syndrome.MethodsPatients opting for bariatric surgery at two obesity centers in South-Eastern Norway were included. Functional bowel disorders were diagnosed according to the Rome III criteria. Predictors were evaluated in a multivariable logistic regression analysis with irritable bowel syndrome as the dependent variable.ResultsA total of 350 (58%) out of 603 consecutive patients were included. The prevalence rates of irritable bowel syndrome at the two centers were 17/211 (8%) and 37/139 (27%) respectively. High low-density lipoprotein (OR 2.10; 95% CI 1.34–3.29), self-reported psychiatric disorders (OR 2.39; 95% CI 1.12–5.08) and center (OR 5.22; 95% CI 2.48–10.99) were independent predictors of irritable bowel syndrome.ConclusionsAt one of the two obesity centers, the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome was threefold higher than in the general population in the same region. The high prevalence appears to be related to dietary differences or altered absorption or metabolism of fat. Attention to irritable bowel syndrome is important in the care of patients with morbid obesity.

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of acute kidney injury (AKI) following hip fracture surgery in geriatric patients and to identify predictors for development of AKI with a focus on possible preventable risk factors. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we reviewed electronic medical records of all patients above 65 years of age who underwent hip fracture surgery at Copenhagen University Hospital, Bispebjerg, Denmark, in 2018. Acute kidney injury was assessed according to the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes guidelines. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent risk factors for AKI. Results: Postoperative AKI developed in 28.4% of the included patients (85/299). Acute kidney injury was associated with increased length of admission (11.3 vs 8.7 days, P < .001) and 30-day mortality (18/85 vs 16/214, P = .001). In multivariable analysis, higher age (odds ratio [OR]: 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.08, P = .004), heart disease (OR: 1.78, 95% CI: 1.01-3.11, P = .045), and postoperative blood transfusion (OR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.01-3.36, P = .048) were associated with AKI. Moreover, a higher postoperative C-reactive protein (199.0 ± 99.9 in patients with AKI, 161.3 ± 75.2 in patients without AKI) and lower postoperative diastolic blood pressure were observed in patients developing AKI. Discussion and Conclusion: Acute kidney injury was common following hip fracture surgery and associated with longer admissions and increased mortality. Patients developing AKI were older and showed several postoperative similarities, including higher C-reactive protein, lower postoperative diastolic pressure, and the need for blood transfusion.

Background: Zonulin is a biomarker of impaired intestinal permeability, which has been associated with various disorders. The primary aim was to study serum zonulin (s-zonulin) in individuals with morbid obesity before and after a conservative weight loss intervention followed by bariatric surgery. The secondary aims were to explore predictors of s-zonulin, and the associations between the changes of the predictors and changes in s-zonulin, and to compare the associations in the two treatment periods. Methods: Individuals with morbid obesity were included. Data before any weight loss interventions, after a 6 months' conservative weight loss intervention, and 6 months after bariatric surgery were used. S-zonulin was measured with an ELISA method from Immundiagnostik AB, Bensheim, Germany. Data were analysed with mixed models. Results: The mean body mass index was 42.1 kg/m 2 (SD 3.8) at inclusion and was reduced to 38.7 kg/m 2 (SD 3.8) and 29.8 kg/m 2 (SD 3.8) after the conservative treatment and bariatric surgery respectively. S-zonulin was 63 ng/mL (SD 32) at inclusion and was reduced with 19 ng/ml (95% CI 12 to 26, p < 0.001) after conservative treatment and 11 ng/ml (95% CI 0 to 21, p = 0.04) after bariatric surgery. At inclusion, s-zonulin was significantly associated with factors including p-glucose (B = 2.21, 95% CI 1.09 to 3.33, p < 0.001), c-reactive protein (B = 1.02, 95% CI 0.45 to 1.58, p < 0.001) and the intake of proteins (B = 0.23, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.38, p = 0.003) and non-nutritive sweeteners (B = 0.68, 95% CI 0.19 to 1.17, p = 0.007). The reduction in s-zonulin after the conservative weight loss intervention was significantly associated with improvement in diarrhoea (B = 6.6, 95% CI 1.3 to 11.8, p = 0.02), HbA1c (B = 9.7, 95% CI 1.1 to 18.3, p = 0.03), p-glucose (B = 3.5, 95% CI 1.2 to 5.9, p = 0.004) and gamma-GT (B = 0.28, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.47, p = 0.004), but not associated with the change in body mass index (B = 0.9, 95% CI − 1.5 to 3.3, p = 0.46). Conclusions: S-zonulin was markedly reduced after the conservative weight loss intervention, and further reduced after bariatric surgery. The reduction in s-zonulin was associated with improvement of diarrhoea, markers of glucose intolerance and liver disease, but not associated with the change in body mass index.