Effects of vagus nerve preservation and vagotomy on peptide YY and body weight after subtotal gastrectomy

AIM: To investigate the relationship between the function of vagus nerve and peptide YY3-36 and ghrelin levels after subtotal gastrectomy. METHODS: We enrolled a total of 16 patients who underwent subtotal gastrectomy due to gastric cancer. All surgeries were performed by a single skilled surgeon. We measured peptide YY3-36, ghrelin, leptin, insulin, growth hormone levels, and body weight immediately before and one month after surgery. RESULTS: Vagus nerve preservation group showed less body weight loss and less increase of peptide YY3-36 compared with vagotomy group (-5.56 +/- 2.24 kg vs -7.85 +/- 1.57 kg, P = 0.037 and 0.06 +/- 0.08 ng/mL vs 0.19 +/- 0.12 ng/mL, P = 0.021, respectively). Moreover, patients with body weight loss of less than 10% exhibited reduced elevation of peptide YY3-36 level, typically less than 20% [6 (66.7%) vs 0 (0.0%), P = 0.011, odd ratio = 3.333, 95% confidence interval (1.293, 8.591)]. CONCLUSION: Vagus nerve preservation contributes to the maintenance of body weight after gastrectomy, and this phenomenon may be related to the suppressed activity of peptide YY3-36. (C) 2012 Baishideng. All rights reserved.