Decreased serum betatrophin levels correlate with improved fasting plasma glucose and insulin secretion capacity after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in obese Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes: a 1-year follow-up

Abstract

Background: There is increasing evidence that serum betatrophin levels, a hormone derived from adipose tissue and liver, are elevated in type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Objective: To investigate the relationships among betatrophin and metabolic control, insulin resistance, and pancreatic β-cell function in obese Chinese patients with T2D who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB).

Setting: University hospital, China.

Methods: This 1-year follow-up study included 34 obese individuals with T2D (18 males, 16 females) who underwent RYGB in our hospital. Anthropometric results, glucose levels, lipid profiles, and serum betatrophin levels were determined before and 1 year after RYGB.

Results: The serum betatrophin level decreased significantly after RYGB (72.0 ng/mL [33.4-180.9] versus 35.7 ng/mL [14.8-103.3]); P<.001]. The change in betatrophin was significantly positively correlated with the changes in hemoglobin A1c and fasting plasma glucose and negatively correlated with the changes in the 2-hour C-peptide/fasting C-peptide and homeostasis model of assessment of β-cell function (P<.05). Multiple stepwise regression analysis indicated that the change in the serum betatrophin level was independently and significantly associated with the changes in fasting plasma glucose (β = .586, P<.001) and 2-hour C-peptide/fasting C-peptide (β = -.309, P = .021).

Conclusion: Circulating betatrophin might be involved in the regulation of glucose control and insulin secretion in obese Chinese with T2D soon after RYGB.

Keywords: Bariatric surgery; Betatrophin; Obesity; Type 2 diabetes mellitus.