Weight Loss Improves Renal Hemodynamics

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a clustering of risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) such as hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL-cholesterol levels, disorders of glucose metabolism, and insulin resistance. A number of associated conditions are included in the MS spectrum such as abdominal obesity, systemic inflammatory activation, endothelial dysfunction, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, hyperuricemia, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and microalbuminuria. As a consequence, the diagnosis of MS identifies patients who are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus and CVD. In the last few years, the potential for MS to trigger renal damage and accelerate the progression of pre-existing nephropathy has become a focus of research. Some studies have suggested that MS can influence the development of CKD, although the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. In this study, the investigators hypothesized that modifying a key component of the MS, namely obesity, could attenuate renal damage. The investigators examined the impact of weight loss on creatinine clearance and urinary albumin excretion in non-diabetic obese patients with MS.