Impact of Bariatric Surgery on the Gut Environment (IMPORTUNE)

Impact of the Bacterial Colonial Metabolism on Fecal Water Toxicity as Biomarkers of Future Colorectal Cancer Risk After Bariatric Surgery

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of bariatric surgery on the gut health. Patients operated with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy and obese patients who want too loose weight with a traditional weight-loss program, will be followed up for 1 year. In these patients, the investigators will measure toxicity parameters to understand better the health status of their colon after surgery. In a next phase, the measured toxicity will be linked with certain players that might cause this toxicity. Protein metabolites, formed from undigested protein by microbiota in the colon, are expected to be toxic agents for the colon. Therefore, the investigators will investigate the fate of ingested protein once the surgery patients are metabolically stabilized.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Bariatric Surgery Candidate

Detailed Description

To quantify protein assimilation after bariatric surgery, the investigators will perform in bariatric surgery patients (Roux-en- Y gastric bypass and Sleeve Gastrectomy) and in a control group a cross-sectional study with a single test day. On the test day, the study participants will consume a test meal that contains intrinsically labelled egg proteins and will take a capsule with 14C-glycocholic acid and a capsule with 3H-labelled polyethylene glycol. Participants will record a food diary 72h before and after the test day and during the test collect breath samples for 6h. Urine and stool will be collected respectively up to 24h and 72h after consumption of the test meal.

For the 1-year follow up study, the 3 patient groups (Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, Sleeve gastrectomy and control group with traditional weight loss therapy) will have 5 visits, a baseline visit and 4 visits after surgery or after starting traditional therapy. The time points after baseline include 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months. Each visit, a blood and stool sample will be collected, a 7-day food and stool diary will be registered and also weight loss will be recorded.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 151

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Belgium
  • Vlaams-Brabant
    • Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium, 3000
      • University Hospital Leuven

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 80 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: N/A
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

• Surgery patient group was recruited at the University Hospital Leuven.
• Obese control group was recruited at the Obesity Clinic of the University Hospital Leuven.
• Normal and overweight control group was recruited among the employees and family members from employees of the University Hospital Leuven.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Surgery patients (toxicity and protein assimilation) : BMI > 40 kg/m² or > 35 kg/m² if combined with either obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome, high blood pressure not controllable with 3 different medications or type II diabetes, (3) exclusion of other underlying causes of obesity by an endocrinologist, (4) having tried to lose weight on a non-surgical way for at least 1 year without result and (5) a positive advice from a multidisciplinary team consisting of a surgeon, endocrinologist, psychologist and dietitian.
• Obese control group in weight loss program (toxicity) : obese but otherwise healthy patients on a weight loss diet (BMI > 30 kg/m²) in the context of the weight-loss program organised at the Obesity Clinic of University Hospital Leuven.
• Control group (protein assimilation) : normal weight (BMI 25-30 kg/m²) or overweight (BMI 25-30 kg/m²).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Intake of antibiotics 1 months before the start of the study. Pre-and probiotics, laxatives and anti-diarrhea drugs 2 weeks before the start of the study.
• Surgery patients and control group (toxicity) : Gastrointestinal disease or major abdominal surgery in the past (except from appendectomy and cholecystectomy).
• Surgery patients and control group (protein assimilation) : Lung, liver, kidney and gastrointestinal disease or major abdominal surgery in the past (except from appendectomy, cholecystectomy and bariatric surgery). Vegan, vegetarian, lactose-or gluten-free diet. Pregnant or lactating women and subjects who participated in the last year in a study with irradiation exposure.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

3

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass; Patients who were planned for surgery with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and were operated
Sleeve Gastrectomy; Patients who were planned for surgery with Sleeve Gastrectomy and were operated
Control group; Obese patients involved in a weight loss program that focuses on diet and lifestyle changes

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from baseline in toxicity of faecal water up to 1 year after bariatric surgery	Faecal water toxicity : measured with a cell viability test. Toxicity : expressed as the dilution of faecal water at which 50 percent of the cells survive.	Baseline and 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year after surgery
Degree of protein assimilation 6-24 months after bariatric surgery	Protein digestion, malabsorption and fermentation : assessed with stable isotope technology. Digestion and malabsorption : expressed as percent of the administered isotope dose. Fermentation : expressed as percent of maximal dose of the fermentation product that can be formed.	6-24 months after surgery

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Degree of fat malabsorption 6-24 months after bariatric surgery	Malabsorption of fat : calculated as ((fat intake- fat excretion)/fat intake)*100%, expressed as coefficient of fat absorption. Excretion : measured with the Van de Kamer method.	6-24 months after surgery

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: KU Leuven
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Kristin Verbeke, PhD, KU Leuven

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 23, 2017
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 1, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): September 1, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 10, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 10, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): April 14, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): September 20, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 14, 2021
• Last Verified: September 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Bariatric surgery; Toxicity; Colon; Microbial fermentation
• Other Study ID Numbers: s59836

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No