Impact of bariatric surgery on cardiorespiratory function
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Impact of bariatric surgery on cardiorespiratory function: an observational study.
IRAS ID
142993
Contact name
Dimitra Nikoletou
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
St George's, University of London
Research summary
Obesity is a growing problem worldwide and its prevention has become one of the leading priorities for the World Health Organization. The prevalence of obesity in adults in the UK has risen from 23% in men and 25% in women in 2002, to 42% in men and 32% in women in 2008. Although its etiology is not entirely comprehended, it’s agreed that obesity results from chronic imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure. Therefore it’s clear that reduced physical activity is one of the primary factors underlying the rise in the incidence of obesity.
In addition, once a person becomes obese, his/her exercise capacity is reduced which, in turn, favors obesity, resulting in a vicious cycle. As muscles must work to move an obese body, obesity imposes high metabolic demands even to carry out ordinary daily activities. The increased muscle oxygen requirement demands augmented ventilation, which imposes an additional physiological burden because the work of breathing is also increased in obesity. Consequently, exercise capacity is reduced because cardiac and ventilatory reserves are limited in their ability to support the increased muscle oxygen requirement during exercise. A reduced exercise capacity not only contributes to obesity, but also increases cardiovascular diseases, reduces quality of life and augments mortality. Bariatric surgery is the most effective weight loss therapy for obese patients and may be capable of improving their exercise capacity.
Therefore, the aim of the present study is to analyse impact of bariatric surgery on physical, cardiopulmonary and biometric parameters. The study will be conducted at St George’s Healthcare-NHS. Subjects eligible are those with scheduled bariatric surgery at St George’s. Prior to surgery, subjects will undergo assessments of anthropometry, pulmonary function, cardiopulmonary capacity and physical activity in daily life. Six weeks and six months after surgery patients will undergo examinations and tests again.REC name
London - Brighton & Sussex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/0168
Date of REC Opinion
7 Apr 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion