Dr. Berkson Guest Speaker at International Diabetes Meeting

On Friday, February 27, 2009 an international symposium on the effect of metabolic/bariatric surgery was hosted by Dr. Mal Fobi at St. Mary Medical Center. Dr. Berkson spoke on the current management of diabetes in the United States.

The highlights of his speech included the five classes of oral agents and three classes of injectable drugs including insulin which are available for diabetes care. His speech emphasized the fact that though diabetes is becoming more common (29 million diabetics in the U.S.), patients with diabetes who take care of themselves can live a long, healthy,and productive life. Dr. Berkson’s speech included comments on new advances such as islet cell transplants, U500 insulin, and the use of C-peptide as a management tool.

Other speakers discussed many aspects of the surgical approach to treating diabetes. Comments were made about hormones ghrelin, glp1, and gip and their effects on obesity. Whether it be the lapband or GI bypass, in either case diabetes seemed to improve in the short term. Five year statistics were also promising but longer term success is still not proven. The surgery seemed to do most for the very obese (BMI greater than 40).

One interesting speaker from India pointed out that in that country there are 40 million people with diabetes. His research suggested that adiposity rather than obesity was associated with diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and premature coronary artery disease in India. He did bypass surgery on those with high body fat and diabetes with the risk factors mentioned above. After one year the diabetics were significantly improved and needed much less medication.