Active clinical trials for "Obesity, Morbid"

Morbid obesity and its associated metabolic diseases are on the rise in the United States. Currently, the best treatment for obesity is bariatric surgery where both roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy offer substantial weight loss. Unfortunately, 20% of patients who undergo bariatric surgery fail to lose enough weight defined as less than 50% of excess body weight loss or regain of weight. For those patients who fail to lose weight after bariatric surgery and have failed maximal medical therapy and diet supervision, the treatment is re-operation and revision. Re-operation of the abdomen carries significant postoperative morbidity and mortality. The investigators propose to use the Apollo OverStitch endoscopic suturing device that has already been approved by the FDA as an option for bariatric surgery revision without having to re-operate on the patient. The investigators believe that the endoscopic technique may be able to provide weight loss without having to re-operate on the patient.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of prebiotic or synbiotic supplementation on inflammatory response and indicators of nutritional status in patients with morbid obesity. Study hypothesis: Supplementation of 12 g/day of fructooligosaccharides (prebiotic) or 12 g/day of fructooligosaccharides + strains of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria (synbiotic) during 30 days promotes reduction of plasma/serum levels of acute phase proteins, cytokines, metabolic and anthropometric parameters in individuals with BMI ≥ 40kg/m².

After the age of 40, there is a gradual decline in the production of testosterone. Among obese men, the decline in testosterone levels is exacerbated by the suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis by hyperestrogenemia. The high expression of aromatase enzyme in the adipose tissue enhances the conversion of androgens into estrogens which in turn exert a negative feedback on the hypothalamus and pituitary, leading to the inhibition of production of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and as a consequence, of testosterone by the testis resulting in hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH). Though bone loss is a well recognized side effect of AI in certain populations, such as women with breast cancer, HH obese men present high levels of circulating estrogens that could potentially prevent them from bone loss, estradiol being the main regulator of the male skeleton. This study is designed to determine if aromatase inhibitors in combination with weight loss, compared to weight loss alone, will have a positive effect on muscle strength, symptoms of hypogonadism, and body composition without negatively impacting bone mineral density and bone quality. Results from this study will help determine if certain groups of obese patients would benefit from therapy with aromatase inhibitors.

The aim of this study was to determine if Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch (BPD-DS) with a longer strict alimentary limb at the expense of a shorter biliopancreatic limb will offer significant weight lost, but with lesser gastrointestinal complaints, protein deficiency, vitamin and trace element deficit compared to standard BPD-DS.

Obesity and gum diseases are highly prevalent in all parts of the world. Obesity can negatively influence severity and progression rates of gum diseases. Presence of fat in the body determines a general systemic state of inflammation. On the other hand, when gum diseases are successfully treated systemic and local inflammation decrease. In addition reductions in glycemic blood levels are also observed after treatment. Periodontitis is one type of gum disease that is associated with bone loss. It could be treated within 24 hours by using a protocol, which combines dental debridement and mouthwash. This treatment protocol, named "one-stage full-mouth disinfection" works well in individuals of normal weight. However, there is no information whether it is effective in obese individuals or not. Also, it should be clarified if obesity influences response to periodontal treatment. This study hypothesized that obesity impair response to periodontal treatment. Therefore, the effects of the protocol "one-stage full-mouth disinfection" will be evaluated in obese individuals and normal weight controls. This evaluation will be based on the monitoring of several clinical, microbiological and biochemical parameters throughout 9 months. Participants will answer validated questionnaires to evaluate if treatment of gum disease would be able to improve individual's quality of life. Study population will be composed of 90 to 100 obese individuals (males or females; > 18 years of age; smokers or non smokers; > 12 natural teeth). Participants will be classified into 5 groups according to their body mass index in normal weight (n = 15 to 20); overweight (n = 15 to 20); obesity I (n = 15 to 20); obesity II (n = 15 to 20); obesity III (n = 15 to 20). Examinations will be performed before treatment and also 3, 6 and 9 months after treatment. This study will contribute to the knowledge on how obese individuals respond to this specific treatment protocol. Also, having normal weight individuals as controls the present study will contribute to a better understanding about obesity, in its different severities, influence on periodontal treatment.

While bariatric surgery is established as a safe and effective alternative with well-defined risks for severely obese adults, little has been published on its use in children. There are many unresolved questions concerning the long-term metabolic and psychological consequences of bariatric surgery in adolescents, and the difference with the adult population. The appropriate timing for bariatric surgery in young people, and the predictors of success and safety still need to be determined. The aim of this long-term prospective study is therefore to establish the safety and efficacy profile of surgical procedures and to clarify whether reductions in morbidity and mortality outweigh the risks of serious surgical complications and lifelong nutritional deficiencies.

The aim of the investigator's study is to investigate whether postoperative inspiratory muscle training and resistance exercise training has an effect on functional capacity, respiratory functions, respiratory muscle strength and endurance in patients undergoing bariatric surgery.

Caloric restriction in obese diabetic patients quickly improves glucose control, independently from weight loss. However, the early effects of a very-low calorie diet (VLCD) on insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion in morbidly obese patients with type 2 diabetes are still unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the relative contributions of insulin sensitivity and/or secretion to the improvement in glucose metabolism, after one week of caloric restriction, in severely obese diabetic patients. For this purpose, hyperglycemic clamps were performed in 14 severely obese (BMI> 40 kg/m2) patients with type 2 diabetes in good glucose control (HbA1c <7.5%), before and after 7 days on VLCD 400 kcal/day.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of 'high' versus 'low' volume intraoperative fluid administration (Ringer Lactate, RL) on intra- and postoperative parameters, in obese patients undergoing laparoscopic bariatric surgery (i.e., gastric bypass), in order to establish evidence-based data for perioperative fluid management in this patient population. Based on their experience as well as several reports in the literature, the investigators hypothesized that a restrictive approach to intraoperative hydration will reduce the incidence of postoperative complications and the recovery time of gastrointestinal (GI) function, and shorten hospital stay.

Nonalcoholic Liver disease (NAFLD) is known to be caused by deposition of fat in the liver. The impact of NAFLD on bariatric surgery is of great concern. Enlarged fatty livers increase the operative complications of bariatric surgery and weight loss prior to bariatric surgery has been shown to reduce complications of surgery. Most bariatric surgery programs use a conventional low fat, calorie restricted diet during the preparation phase for surgery. The investigators will compare the effects of the low carbohydrate versus the low fat diets on weight loss, reduction in liver fat content, and liver size. These results will provide new clinical insights into the optimal dietary intervention to make bariatric surgery safe and effective for the increasing numbers of patients opting for this aggressive therapy for morbid obesity. Patients approved for bariatric surgery by the University of Michigan Bariatric Surgery multidisciplinary committee will be randomly assigned to either a 1000 to 1200 calorie low fat or low carbohydrate, 8-week study diet. All the food for this study will be provided for free by the study team. Participants will be required to meet with the study team weekly to pick up study food and for a nutritional consult. These visits will occur in the eight weeks preceding the patient's bariatric surgery procedure. During the bariatric surgery, a liver biopsy will be performed to assess the impact of the study diet on liver fat content.