Endocrine Abstracts

Objectives: To compare obesity treatment with intragastric balloon (BIB – Bioenterics intragastric balloon) and behavioral-cognitive approach in order to determine the effectivness of these two methods in inducing weight loss, their impact on different features of metabolic syndrome and liver enzymes profile, and finally to evaluate patients attitudes and expectations regarding weight loss together with motivation and readiness to change their behaviour in order to lose weight.

Patients and methods: Subjects were required to be between 18 and 55 years old and to have a BMI between 30 and 45 to be eligible. Additional exclusion criteria, besides those required for BIB placement, were DM type 2, depression and binge-eating disorder. 60 subjects who had undergone the BIB procedure constituted the primary sample and 54 subjects who participated in weight loss cognitive-behavioral program constituted the paralel group. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters were assessed at baseline and after 6 months. Questionnaire assessment was used to evaluate patients attitudes and expectations regarding weight loss as well as their motivation and readiness to lose weight.

Results: The mean BMI during balloon treatment declined from 38.6±3.9 to 32,84,39 kg/m² (P<0.001) with an excess weight loss (%EWL) of 44.6±23.9 comparing with %EWL of 22.5±11.5 in paralel group (P<0.001). A significant improvement in blood pressure, glycemia, trygliceride level and liver enzyme profile was seen in both treatment groups, but much more in subjects treated with BIB. Patients motivation and readiness to lose weight were high in both treatment groups, but subjects prior the balloon placement reported greater level of self-efficacy in weight control than those who decided to participate in cognitive-behavioral treatment.

Conclusion: Our results confirmed that intragastric balloon is useful method for promoting weight loss. Due to improvement of metabolic parameters and substantial benefit on liver function, obese people with metabolic syndrome appear to be the best candidates for BIB placement. Combining BIB with behavioral-cognitive approach might prove valuable for even greater weight loss.

Declaration of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research project.

Funding: This work was supported, however funding details unavailable.