Ambulatory blood pressure and neuroendocrine control after diet-assisted gastric restrictive surgery

BACKGROUNDLong-term weight control after conventional diet is disappointing but may be improved when diet is assisted by gastric restrictive surgery (GRS). OBJECTIVETo determine the effects of GRS on ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) and neuroendocrine BP control in 28 morbidly obese subjects. METHODSA BP and heart rate were recorded every 10 min for 25 h before and 4 months after GRS. Effects of marked reductions in body weight on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, on plasma insulin and on sympathetic activity were also determined. RESULTSBody mass index decreased from 43 ± 1 to 34 ± 1 kg/m and systolic (S) BP decreased by 7 ± 2 mmHg during daytime (P = 0.01) and by 8 ± 3 mmHg during the night (P = 0.02). Pulse pressure, a marker of reduced arterial compliance, decreased by 5 ± 1 mmHg throughout the 24 h period (P