The Metabolic and Genetic Drivers of Body Composition Changes Following Weight Loss Surgery

NCT ID: NCT07178704

Last Updated: 2025-11-12

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Total Enrollment

110 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-11-04

Study Completion Date

2027-08-31

Brief Summary

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Weight loss surgery is very good at reducing body weight but it can also cause the loss of both muscle and strength. Some patients undergoing weight loss surgery do not achieve their weight loss goals and regain the weight they lost. When this occurs, the loss of muscle and strength combined with the regain of weight can impact the individual's quality of life and ability to remain active and mobile.

The purpose of this study is to understand the behavioral, biological, and genetic factors that influence the success of weight loss surgery and its impact on muscle mass.

Bariatric surgery patients participating in the trial will be monitored prior to, and for a year following weight loss surgery, with data collected about their eating habits, hand grip strength, and the loss of fat, muscle, and body weight following surgery. Some patients will be additionally invited to undergo detailed metabolic assessment, where we will measure how their body uses nutrients it consumes, the composition of their body (e.g. how much lean and fat tissue they have and where it is stored), identify the bacteria living in their gut, and determine their physical performance. In all patients a small sample of gut tissue will be collected at a routine endoscopy performed in advance of weight loss surgery to identify the expression (activity) of genes in their DNA.

Healthy subjects will also be recruited to allow us to compare between healthy weight individuals and those undergoing weight loss surgery. On a single occasion, the healthy volunteers will undergo the same detailed metabolic assessment performed in patients as described above. We will not examine the bacteria living in the gut of the healthy volunteers, nor will we collect gut tissue from these individuals.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Bariatric Surgery Patients

Keywords

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Body composition Sarcopenia Weight loss surgery Muscle function Protein metabolism

Study Design

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Observational Model Type

COHORT

Study Time Perspective

PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

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Bariatric Surgery Patients

Patients due to undergo either sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass surgery.

No interventions assigned to this group

Healthy Control Subjects

Healthy weight individuals recruited from the local population.

No interventions assigned to this group

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Age: 30 to 50 years at time of consent
* BMI: 20-25 kg.m-2
* Male or Female
* All races and ethnic backgrounds
* Ability to speak and read English
* Subject has provided informed consent in a manner approved by the IRB and is willing and able to comply with the trial procedures.


* Age: 18 to 65 years at time of consent
* BMI: 35-50 kg.m-2
* Scheduled to undergo bariatric surgery at UTMB
* All races and ethnic backgrounds
* Ability to speak and read English
* Subject has provided informed consent in a manner approved by the IRB and is willing and able to comply with the trial procedures.


* Age: restricted to 30 to 50 years of age
* Undergoing gastric bypass surgery

Exclusion Criteria

* Heart, vascular, or pulmonary disease
* Uncontrolled blood pressure (systolic BP \> 170, diastolic BP \> 95 mmHg)
* Impaired renal function (creatinine \> 1.5 mg/dl)
* Anemia (hematocrit \< 33 % or donated blood in the past 12 weeks.)
* Diabetes mellitus or other untreated endocrine or metabolic disorder
* Recent (5 years or less) history of cancer
* Systemic steroids, anabolic steroids, growth hormone, or immunosuppressant use within 6 months.
* Recent (6 months) adherence to a weight-loss or weight-gain diet, resulting in a weight change of 10% or more.
* Body mass index \> 25.5 kg.m-2
* Body mass index \< 19.5 kg.m-2 or recent history (\< 12 months) of disordered eating.
* Acute infectious disease or chronic infection.
* Pregnancy or breast-feeding.
* Recent (1 month) consumption of protein-based sports supplements.
* Any medical condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, would place the subject at increased risk for participation.
* Known allergic reaction to any agent under investigation or required by the protocol, including Phenylketonuria.
* Unable to lie still in a supine position for 10 minutes.
* History of prior non-compliance or the presence or history of a psychiatric condition (including drug or alcohol addiction) that would, in the opinion of the investigator, make it difficult for the subject to comply with the study procedures or follow the investigators instructions.
* Concurrent participation in another research study.
* Use of an investigational agent in the 30 days prior to signing informed consent.


* Fails the medical criteria for bariatric surgery.
* Anemia (hematocrit \< 33 % or donated blood in the past 12 weeks.)
* Recent (5 years or less) history of cancer
* Systemic steroids, anabolic steroids, growth hormone, or immunosuppressant use within 6 months.
* Body mass index \< 35 or \> 50 kg.m-2.
* Acute infectious disease or chronic infection.
* Pregnancy or breast-feeding.
* Any medical condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, would place the subject at increased risk for participation.
* History of prior non-compliance that would, in the opinion of the investigator, make it difficult for the subject to comply with the study procedures or follow the investigator's instructions.
* Concurrent participation in another research study.
* Use of an investigational agent in the 30 days prior to signing informed consent.


* Known allergic reaction to any agent under investigation or required by the protocol, including Phenylketonuria.
* Unable to lie still in a supine position for 10 minutes.
* Previous bariatric surgery or undergoing a procedure other than gastric bypass (e.g. sleeve gastrectomy).
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Andrew J Murton, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

The University of Texas Medical Branch

Locations

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The University of Texas Medical Branch

Galveston, Texas, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Andrew J Murton, PhD

Role: CONTACT

Phone: 409-772-0185

Email: [email protected]

Facility Contacts

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Andrew J Murton, PhD

Role: primary

Other Identifiers

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24-0361

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id