Bariatric arterial embolization slows gastric emptying and improves postprandial glycaemia in obese dogs with impaired glucose tolerance

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Aim To evaluate the effects of bariatric arterial embolization (BAE) on gastric emptying of, and the glycaemic response to, an oral glucose load in an obese canine model with impaired glucose tolerance. Methods Eleven male dogs were fed a high‐fat, high‐fructose diet for 7 weeks before receiving BAE, which involved selective embolization of the left gastric artery ( n = 5; 14.9 ± 0.8 kg), or the sham ( n = 6; 12.6 ± 0.8 kg) procedure. Postprocedural body weight was measured weekly for 4 weeks. Prior to and at 4 weeks postprocedure, a glucose solution containing 13 C‐acetate was administered orally for evaluation of the gastric half‐emptying time (T50) and the glycaemic response. The relationship between the changes in the blood glucose area under the curve over the first 60 minutes (AUC 0‐60min ) and the T50 was also assessed. Results At 4 weeks postprocedure, BAE reduced body weight (BAE vs. the sham procedure: −5.7% ± 0.9% vs. 3.5% ± 0.9%, P < .001), slowed gastric emptying (T50 at baseline vs. postprocedure: 75.5 ± 2.0 vs. 82.5 ± 1.8 minutes, P = .021 in the BAE group; 73.8 ± 1.8 vs. 74.3 ± 1.9 minutes in the sham group) and lowered the glycaemic response to oral glucose (AUC 0‐60min at baseline vs. postprocedure: 99.2 ± 13.7 vs. 67.6 ± 9.8 mmol·min/L, P = .043 in the BAE group; 100.2 ± 13.4 vs. 103.9 ± 14.6 mmol·min/L in the sham group). The change in the glucose AUC 0‐60min correlated inversely with that of the T50 ( r = −0.711; P = .014). Conclusions In a canine model with impaired glucose tolerance, BAE, while reducing body weight, slowed gastric emptying and attenuated the glycaemic response to an oral glucose load.