Weight loss improves renal hemodynamics in patients with metabolic syndrome

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the impact of weight loss on urinary albumin excretion (UAE) and creatinine clearance in obese patients with metabolic syndrome. METHODS: Thirty-five obese patients undertook a 12-week calorie-restricted diet. The patients underwent a metabolic (oral glucose tolerance test, plasma lipids, and uric acid) and renal hemodynamic evaluations (creatinine clearance and urinary albumin excretion) before (phase 1), and after the 12-week diet (phase 2). RESULTS: After the dietary intervention, the subjects were divided into two groups: patients who achieved the target weight reduction (R: responders, n = 14), and patients who did not (NR: non-responders, n = 21). The patients in Group R showed an improvement in lipid profile, a decrease in UAE (median = 162.5 mg/24 hours, range: 0.8 to 292 mg/24 hours, at phase 1 versus 10.4 mg/24 hours, range: 1.6 to 22.4 mg/24 hours, at phase 2), and a significant reduction in creatinine clearance (121.4 ± 66.5 mL/min. in phase 1 to 92.9 ± 35.6 mL/min. at the end of phase 2, p = 0.001). In Group NR, no statistically significant differences were observed between phases 1 and 2. CONCLUSION: Body weight reduction has a positive impact on renal hemodynamics, decreasing urinary albumin excretion as well as glomerular hyperfiltration in obese patients with metabolic syndrome.