Effect of Liposuction on Body Weight and Serum Concentrations of Leptin, Lipids, Glucose, and Insulin: A Meta-Analysis

Background: Abdominal obesity has been associated with an increased risk of insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. Central fat removal procedures such as liposuction, lipectomy, and abdominoplasty are among the most common surgical procedures. The impact of the latter on the former is controversial and understudied. The authors aimed to explore the effect of subcutaneous fat elimination procedures on insulin resistance measures and adipokine levels. Methods: Relevant studies regarding the effects of surgical subcutaneous fat removal on glucose, insulin, adipokines, and lipid metabolism, as well as blood pressure, were identified by searching PubMed and Ovid–Cochrane without limits in date, type of publication, or language. After the selection process, 24 studies were obtained. The results of the articles were summarized using descriptive statistics. For the final analysis, a randomized effects model was used to evaluate heterogeneity; averages and meta-analytic differences were expressed with a confidence interval of 95%. Results: All studies reported a reduction in weight (−2.64 kg; 95% CI, −4.32 to −0.96; P = 0.002; I 2 = 36%; P of I 2 < 0.001) and body mass index after liposuction. A significant improvement in triglycerides (−10.06 mg/dL; 95% CI, −14.03 to −6.09; P < 0.001; I 2 = 48%; P of I 2 = 0.05), serum glucose concentration (−4.25 mg/dL; 95% CI, −5.93 to −2.56; P < 0.001; I 2 = 68%; P of I 2 < 0.001), serum insulin concentration (−2.86 μIU/mL; 95% CI, −3.75 to −1.97; P < 0.001; I 2 = 59%; P of I 2 = 0.003), and serum leptin concentration (−7.70 ng/mL; 95% CI, −11.49 to −3.92; P = 0.0001; I 2 = 96%; P of I 2 < 0.001) was consistently observed. Conclusion: In addition to weight loss, there is a significant decrease in leptin, triglyceride, glucose, and insulin serum concentrations after liposuction, a fact that should be considered in future discussions.