Short- and Long-Term Effects of Bariatric Surgery on Vascular Phenotype

Background Retinal microvascular diameters and large artery stiffness are valid biomarkers of cardiovascular risk. This study assessed short- and long-term micro- and macrovascular improvements after bariatric surgery (BS). Methods Sixteen patients (44 ± 12 years) underwent BS in this observational study. Two weeks before as well as 6 weeks and 4 years after surgery, retinal vessel analysis and assessment of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), and anthropometry were performed. Three patients were lost to follow-up. Results Six weeks after BS, retinal arteriolar diameters (CRAE) were wider (180.1 μm vs. 188.1 μm; p = 0.001), and the arteriolar-to-venular diameter ratio (AVR) was higher (0.82 vs. 0.86; p