Correlation between serum Vitamin D levels and lipid profile in patients with obesity undergoing metabolic bariatric surgery

Introduction: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass demonstrates high efficacy in reversing vitamin D deficiency and improving the lipid profile in obese patients, thereby reducing cardiovascular risks. The high prevalence of dyslipidemia and cardiovascular risk associated with obesity constitute a serious public health problem, a scenario significantly exacerbated by vitamin D deficiency. Objective: To evaluate the correlation between serum vitamin D levels and the lipid profile in patients with obesity undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Methods: A retrospective study in which data were collected at baseline (0) and at 6 and 12 months postoperatively during the periods 2018–2019 and 2021–2022. All patients underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Patients were divided into Group 1 (pre-pandemic) and Group 2 (post-pandemic). Preoperatively, participants were classified according to vitamin D status as sufficient, deficient, or insufficient. Data were organized in Excel 2010, with variables described using frequencies. Longitudinal variability was assessed using Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE), and Pearson's correlation was used, with a significance level of p<0.05. Results: The study evaluated 246 patients who underwent gastric bypass (100 in Group 1 and 146 in Group 2). Preoperative vitamin D deficiency affected approximately 48% to 50% of the patients. At 6 and 12 months post-surgery, the vast majority of patients showed improvement in vitamin D levels. Conclusion: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is highly effective in reversing vitamin D deficiency and optimizing the lipid profile. Both conditions improve in parallel due to weight loss and overall metabolic improvement, reinforcing the importance of continuous monitoring.