Bariatric surgery changes gut microbiota composition independent of operation type
BackgroundBariatric surgery in patients with morbid obesity, either through gastric sleeve gastrectomy or Roux-Y gastric bypass surgery, leads to sustainable weight loss, improvement of metabolic disorders and changes in the intestinal microbiota. Yet, the relationship between changes in gut microbiota, weight loss and the surgical procedure remains incompletely understood.\n\nSubjects/MethodsWe determined temporal changes in microbiota composition in 45 obese patients undergoing a crash diet followed by gastric sleeve gastrectomy (n= 22) or Roux-Y gastric bypass (n= 23). Intestinal microbiota composition was determined before intervention (baseline, S1), 2 weeks after a crash diet (S2), and 1 week (S3), 3 months (S4) and 6 months (S5) after surgery.\n\nResultsRelative to S1, the microbial diversity index declined at S2 and S3 (p< 0.05), and gradually returned to baseline levels at S5. The crash diet was associated with an increased abundance of Rikenellaceae and decreased abundances of Ruminococcaceae and Streptococcaceae (p< 0.05). After surgery, at S3, the relative abundance of Bifidobacteriaceae had decreased (compared to the moment directly after the crash diet), whereas those of Streptococcaceae and Enterobacteriaceae had increased (p< 0.05). Increased weight loss during the next 6 months was not associated without major changes in microbiota composition. Significant differences between both surgical procedures were not observed at any of the time points.\n\nConclusionsIn conclusion, undergoing a crash diet and bariatric surgery were associated with an immediate but temporary decline in the microbial diversity, with immediate and permanent changes in microbiota composition, with no differences between patients undergoing gastric sleeve gastrectomy or Roux-Y gastric bypass surgery.