R. Pasquali et al., ACHIEVEMENT OF NEAR-NORMAL BODY-WEIGHT AS THE PREREQUISITE TO NORMALIZE SEX HORMONE-BINDING GLOBULIN CONCENTRATIONS IN MASSIVELY OBESE MEN, International journal of obesity, 21(1), 1997, pp. 1-5
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of weight loss on sex hormone-bi
nding globulin (SHBG) in massively obese males and whether normal SHBG
concentrations could be obtained regardless or not of the achievement
of normal body weight values. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: Sera were collecte
d for SHBG determination from 63 massively obese men, partly before th
ey underwent biliopancreatic diversion (pre-op group=11) and partly du
ring the post-surgical follow up (post-op group=52), and twenty normal
weight healthy control men. MEASUREMENTS: Serum SHBG was measured usi
ng a noncompetitive liquid-phase immunoradiometric assay, RESULTS: Bas
eline general characteristics were similar in both obese groups. Obese
patients in the post-op group had lost 46.4 +/- 2.9 kg since they had
undergone operation, namely during a mean period of 14.9+/-13.8 (rang
e 1-58) months follow up. Obese groups had significantly lower SHBG th
an normal weight controls (66.2+/-18.6 nmol/l). However, preop obese (
19.9+/-5.5 nmol/l) had significantly lower values than post-op obese s
ubjects (45.5+/-24.8 nmol/l; P<0.001). There were a highly significant
correlation between SHBG and individual BMI values (r=-0.629; P<0.001
). Moreover, the post-op obese with BMI values lower or equal to 28 ha
d significantly higher SHBG concentrations than those with BMI greater
than 28 (62.8+/-22.2nmol/l vs 32.1+19.6nmol/l; P<0.001), but not sign
ificantly different with respect to normal weight controls. CONCLUSION
S: Massively obese men weight loss can completely reverse SHBG abnorma
lities, which can be restored to the normal range when near-normal bod
y weight is achieved. Since reduced SHBG concentrations can be an inde
pendent risk factor for the development of diabetes and cardiovascular
disease, this represents an additional benefit of weight loss program
in massively obese individuals.