White Blood Cells in Obesity and Diabetes
Effects of weight loss and normalization of glucose metabolism
- Anna Veronelli, MD1,
- Marco Laneri, MD1,
- Roberto Ranieri, MD1,
- Diana Koprivec, MD1,
- Debora Vardaro, BSC2,
- Michele Paganelli, MD3,
- Franco Folli, MD2 and
- Antonio E. Pontiroli, MD1
- 1Cattedra di Medicina Interna, Dipartimento di Medicina, Chirurgia e Odontoiatria, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milano: Divisione di Medicina Interna, Ospedale San Paolo, Milano, Italy
- 2Divisione di Medicina Interna, Ospedale San Raffaele, Milano, Italy
- 3Divisione di Chirurgia, Ospedale San Raffaele, Milano, Italy
- Address correspondence and reprint requests to Anna Veronelli, Ospedale San Paolo, Via A di Rudinì 8, 20142 Milano, Italy. E-mail: annaveronelli{at}aliceposta.it
- HOMA, homeostasis model assessment
- IGT, impaired glucose tolerance
- LAGB, laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding
- WBC, white blood cell
White blood cell (WBC) count is elevated in obesity (1) and is a risk factor for atherosclerosis (2). An elevated WBC count is present in impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) (3), and WBC count is associated with macro- and microangiopathic complications in type 2 diabetes (4). In both of these studies, the effect was more marked in obese patients. In morbid obesity, bariatric surgery in many cases (gastric bypass or laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding [LAGB]) is able to induce, together with a sustained and durable weight loss, the disappearance of comorbidities, such as type 2 diabetes (5,6). The aim of this study was to compare the effect of LAGB and of conventional diet on WBC count in patients with morbid obesity that is simple or complicated by IGT or type 2 diabetes.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
According to the protocol approved by the local ethics committee, all patients underwent a full diagnostic evaluation completed by psychological-psychiatric assessment (6). Patients who were suitable for surgery at the end of the …
