Background Obesity is associated with the impairment of
immunological functions. The aim of this study was to
analyze some inflammatory mediators in obese subjects
who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Methods Seventeen consecutive female patients with a
BMI ranging from 35 to 45 kg/m2 (obese) and 17 consecutive
female patients with BMI ranging from 20 to
25 kg/m2 (nonobese) were included in the study. All
patients were affected by symptomatic gallbladder stone
disease and underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Changes in levels of leukocytes, neutrophils, IL-6, IL-10,
leptin, and adiponectin were evaluated.
Results We observed a significant increase in leukocyte
and neutrophil levels in the obese subjects compared to the
nonobese subjects. The serum levels of leptin and IL-6
were higher in the postoperative period (compared to the
baseline values in both groups), and always higher in the
obese. Both adiponectin and IL-10 increased in the postoperative
period in nonobese subjects and was always
higher than in the obese.
Conclusions Obese patients have a stronger acute
inflammatory response than do nonobese subjects in reaction
to surgical stress