Skip to main content

Depression, Inflammation Linked in Obese Patients Undergoing Bariatric Surgery

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Sept. 8, 2023 -- For individuals with obesity undergoing bariatric surgery, depression is associated with higher inflammation before and after surgery, according to a study published online Aug. 31 in Psychological Medicine.

Anna P. McLaughlin, Ph.D., from King's College London, and colleagues examined longitudinal associations between depression and inflammatory markers and their effect on weight loss and clinical outcomes in an observational study of 85 patients with obesity (41 with depression and 44 controls). Depression was assessed by clinical interview before and six months after surgery.

The researchers found that after controlling for confounders, depression diagnosis before surgery was associated with significantly higher serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-6/10 ratio levels. Patients with preexisting depression had significantly higher inflammation at six months after surgery despite having similar weight loss to controls. Higher baseline hsCRP levels predicted poorer weight loss in hierarchical regression but did not affect depression severity at follow-up. Greater depression severity after surgery was predicted by more severe baseline depressive symptoms and childhood emotional abuse.

"Our data showing that increased inflammation predicts lower weight-loss after bariatric surgery suggests that personalized treatments involving approaches that lower inflammation could enable better outcomes after surgery," coauthor Valeria Mondelli, M.D., Ph.D., also from King's College London, said in a statement.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Read this next

Text Messages + Financial Incentives Boost Weight Loss at 12 Months

WEDNESDAY, May 15, 2024 -- Among men with obesity, an intervention with text messaging plus financial incentive significantly improves weight loss compared with a control group...

GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Use Increases Likelihood of Antidepressant Prescription

WEDNESDAY, May 15, 2024 -- Individuals taking glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 receptor agonists have a greater risk for subsequently being dispensed antidepressants, according to a...

Four in 10 Adults With Diabetes Report Taking a GLP-1 Receptor Agonist

TUESDAY, May 14, 2024 -- One in eight adults (12 percent) say they have ever taken a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) and 6 percent say they are currently using...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.