Modification of bone architecture following sleeve gastrectomy: a five-year follow-up

Bariatric surgery induces a decrease in areal BMD (aBMD), but the long-term effect on trabecular and cortical volumetric BMD (vBMD) has not been well assessed. The main aim of this 5-yr longitudinal study was to investigate the changes following sleeve gastrectomy (SG) in aBMD, bone turnover markers, and trabecular and cortical vBMD. Forty-five patients with obesity were assessed before and 1, 2, and 5 yr after SG. Trabecular and cortical vBMD, cortical thickness, and structural parameters were assessed by 3D-Shaper software at the hip. Values of bone turnover markers peaked after 1 yr and decreased after 2 and 5 yr, but without returning to baseline values. aBMD decreased mostly at the femoral neck (-9.7%) and total hip (-10.7%) over the 5 yr, with the greatest loss occurring at 1 yr (-5.9% and -6.3%, respectively). A similar profile of decrease was observed for integral hip vBMD with significant decreases of 6.6%, 7.7%, and 10.7% after 1, 2, and 5 yr, mainly due to a reduction in the trabecular (10.5%, 12.0%, and 17.2%, respectively) rather than cortical (1.4%, 1.9%, and 2.9%, respectively) component. A modest decrease in mean cortical thickness (2.5%, 2.8%, and 3.9%, respectively) and an alteration in the structural parameters were concomitantly observed. Older age and greater body weight loss were the factors most associated with an increased loss of aBMD and vBMD. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that SG induces not only an alteration in bone turnover and aBMD, but also a reduction in vBMD at the hip, predominantly due to trabecular component deterioration as determined by 3D-Shaper software. The maintenance of bone deterioration for at least 5 yr-ie, after 4 yr of relative body weight stabilization or minimal weight regain-suggests the need for a therapeutic approach to preserve bone health in patients who undergo SG. Bariatric surgery induces a decrease in areal BMD (aBMD), but the long-term effect on bone architecture has not been well assessed. This 5-yr longitudinal study using new 3D-Shaper software showed that concomitantly to the aBMD loss, an alteration in bone architecture, mainly due to a decrease in the trabecular rather than cortical component, was also observed. These bone deteriorations might explain the reduction in structural parameters. For the majority of the bone parameters, the deterioration occurred mainly in the first year but continued more slowly for at least 5 yr after SG, when body weight had stabilized or mild weight regain was observed. These results suggest the need for long-term monitoring and the development of a therapeutic approach to preserve bone health in patients who undergo SG.