Early hormonal responses of irisin and nesfatin-1 following sleeve gastrectomy in women with obesity: A preliminary study

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is an effective surgical intervention for morbid obesity, yet early hormonal changes contributing to metabolic adaptation remain underexplored. The objective of this study was to evaluate the early postoperative changes in the energy-regulating hormones irisin and nesfatin-1 following LSG in obese female patients. These hormones were selected due to their established roles in metabolic regulation and appetite control. This preliminary study included 27 women with obesity (body mass index, BMI>40 kg/m² or>35 kg/m² with comorbidities) undergoing LSG. Serum irisin and nesfatin-1 levels, body composition, and standard metabolic parameters were assessed preoperatively and at 1 month postoperatively. ELISA assays were used for hormone quantification. Repeated measures ANOVA and Spearman’s correlation analyses were applied. One month postoperatively, serum irisin levels showed a significant increase (p<0.001), whereas nesfatin-1 levels demonstrated a significant decrease (p<0.001). Interestingly, nesfatin-1 exhibited a significant positive correlation with fat mass in the preoperative period; however, this relationship shifted to a negative correlation following the surgery, suggesting a potential alteration in regulatory mechanisms post-intervention. Reductions in BMI, fat mass, and muscle mass and improvements in glycemic and lipid profiles were also observed. The findings of this study reveal significant early postoperative shifts in irisin and nesfatin-1 levels following LSG, underscoring the potential regulatory role of these hormones in the body’s initial metabolic adaptation to surgical weight loss.