Effect of weight loss with or without orlistat treatment on adipocytokines, inflammation, and oxidative markers in obese women.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of adipose tissue related hormones, cytokines, and antioxidative substances in obese women before and after intervention with diet alone or with diet plus an inhibitor of gastrointestinental lipase-orlistat. DESIGN Seventy-one obese women of childbearing age were included in the study and were randomly assigned into two groups according to the type of intervention: group A1 (n=35) included women who received orlistat as well as a hypocaloric diet, and group A2 (n=36) included women who were only on hypocaloric diet. The intervention period lasted 6 months. Anthropometric parameters, such as Body Weight (BW), Body Mass Index (BMI), Waist Circumference (WC), and %Body fat (BF) were recorded. Insulin, leptin, resistin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), adiponectin, hsC-reactive protein (CRP), glutathione peroxidase, and isoprostane were determined by appropriate methodology prior to and following the 6-month intervention period. Insulin resistance was measured using the homeostasis model assessment index (HOMA-IR). All participants had normal glucose tolerance. RESULTS In both groups B MI values were lower after intervention and all measured parameters were ameliorated. A statistically significant difference was found between group A1 (orlistat plus diet) and group A2 (diet only) with regard to the levels of triglycerides, CRP, TNF-alpha, IGF-1, and isoprostane, even after correcting for weight loss. CONCLUSION Hypocaloric diet plus orlistat in obese women is superior to diet alone with regard to the changes observed in adipokines, CRP, TNFalpha, triglycerides, IGF-1, and oxidative stress following intervention.