ENDOBARRIER® and Conventional Therapy in the Management of Metabolic Syndrome in Obese Patients

Overview

Obesity and metabolic syndrome (MS) are closely interrelated leading to increased mortality, mainly due to cardiovascular disease. In addition, some cancers are much higher when obesity is associated with metabolic syndrome. Bariatric surgery allows significant and sustained weight loss with marked improvement of MS. Considered too invasive, surgery is proposed to a small proportion of patients who could theoretically benefit. The ENDOBARRIER® device implanted endoscopically is an innovative approach developed for management of obesity in the non-surgical manner with benefits for improvement in MS already reported in literature.

Obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) over 30 kg / m², has now affected more than 14% of the French population. This condition is associated with several co-morbidities, and increased mortality, mainly due to cardiovascular disease and some cancers. These risks are much higher when obesity is associated with metabolic syndrome. Conventional medical care for metabolic syndrome, even conducted by multidisciplinary teams combining dietary advice, physical activity and psychological treatment offers only limited results, both in weight reduction and comorbidities. Bariatric surgery allows however a significant and sustained weight loss in the majority of cases, and a decrease in the frequency and severity of co-morbidities, including type 2 diabetes, and decreased mortality including cardiovascular. Considered too invasive by many practitioners and patients, surgery is therefore proposed to a small proportion of patients who could theoretically benefit. The results of surgery have, however, validated the principle of the interventional treatment of obesity and its metabolic complications. Different techniques that may replace surgery are currently being developed. Among these new approaches, the most successful is the device "endoluminal liner ENDOBARRIER®" (GI Dynamics ™, Boston, USA). The ENDOBARRIER® device could represent a major innovation in the non-surgical management of obesity. The benefits of installing the device on the morbidity associated with obesity are reported in the literature: impact on hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and metabolic syndrome as such. This trial will compare in a randomized study the results, tolerance and cost of the interventional therapy with the device ENDOBARRIER® over conventional therapy in French patients with obesity and metabolic syndrome, with or without diabetes. The evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of this device will clarify its role in the strategy for the management of obesity and its comorbidities.