METHOD FOR PREDICTING WEIGHT LOSS AFTER BARIATRIC SURGERY

The prevalence of obesity has increased dramatically in recent decades with a clearly upward trend for the coming years. In 2016, 13% of the population classified as obese. Current strategies against obesity include restricting energy intake or absorption and increasing energy expenditure through exercise, which, depending on the degree of obesity, can be complemented with pharmacological treatment or bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery is the most effective therapy, however, between 5-20% of patients do not respond.

Competitive advantages

This is a method to predict weight loss in patients undergoing bariatric surgery, based on the study of the expression of two microRNAs. The analysis is performed from a serum sample, with blood sampling being implemented in routine clinical practice. The method allows results to be obtained quickly and affordably using RT-PCR, a technique widely implemented in the health sector.

Uses and applications

The application of the invention is in the medical field, specifically in the bariatric surgery market. Approximately 580K bariatric surgeries are performed per year, at a cost of between $15K-23K. The cost of this prognostic test would be approximately $15.