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RecruitingNCT07822763Updated Oct 15, 2026

Preoperative Oral Carbohydrate Loading and Gastrointestinal Recovery After Bariatric Surgery in Metabolic Syndrome

An interventional study of Preoperative oral carbohydrate loading and The placebo in Metabolic Syndrome (MetS), sponsored by First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. Recruiting at 1 site in China. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 65 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-15.

Sponsored by First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Oct 2026; still recruiting 1 month later.
Updated Oct 15, 2026Now RecruitingSite recruiting status changed+1 moreGo to Updates ↓
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
208
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 65 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This prospective randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effect of preoperative oral carbohydrate loading on postoperative gastrointestinal recovery in patients with metabolic syndrome undergoing bariatric surgery. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to either a preoperative oral carbohydrate drink group or a standard preoperative fasting group.

The primary objective of this study is to determine whether preoperative oral carbohydrate loading can facilitate early postoperative gastrointestinal recovery. Outcome measures will include the proportion of patients achieving postoperative gastrointestinal recovery, time to postoperative gastrointestinal recovery, perioperative blood glucose levels, and other postoperative recovery-related outcomes. This study aims to provide clinical evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of preoperative oral carbohydrate loading in patients with metabolic syndrome undergoing bariatric surgery.

Read the detailed description

This prospective, randomized trial aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of preoperative oral carbohydrate loading for postoperative gastrointestinal recovery in patients with metabolic syndrome undergoing bariatric surgery. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the preoperative oral carbohydrate loading group or the placebo group.

Participants in both groups will follow a standardized preoperative fasting protocol, with solid food prohibited for at least 6 hours before induction of anesthesia and clear liquids discontinued 2 hours before surgery. Participants in the POC group will consume 400 mL of an oral carbohydrate-containing beverage 2 hours before surgery, whereas participants in the control group will consume an equal volume of a placebo beverage with a similar appearance and taste but containing no carbohydrates at the same time point.

The primary outcome is postoperative gastrointestinal functional recovery, assessed using the GI-3 criteria. GI-3 recovery is defined as tolerance of oral intake accompanied by recovery of lower gastrointestinal function. The study will evaluate both the proportion of participants achieving GI-3 recovery within the predefined postoperative period and the time to GI-3 recovery.

Secondary outcomes include other measures related to postoperative gastrointestinal recovery, postoperative nausea and vomiting, quality of recovery, length of hospital stay, and other postoperative recovery-related outcomes. Perioperative blood glucose levels and glycemic variability will be assessed to evaluate the metabolic safety of preoperative oral carbohydrate loading.

Safety outcomes related to preoperative oral carbohydrate intake will also be assessed. Gastric ultrasonography will be performed before induction of anesthesia to evaluate gastric volume, corrected gastric volume, gastric antral cross-sectional area, and Perlas grade. The occurrence of perioperative regurgitation or pulmonary aspiration will also be recorded.

This study aims to determine whether, compared with placebo, preoperative oral carbohydrate loading can enhance postoperative gastrointestinal recovery in patients with metabolic syndrome undergoing bariatric surgery without increasing clinically significant perioperative glycemic fluctuations or aspiration-related risks.

02

Conditions studied

  • Metabolic Syndrome (MetS)

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Keywords

  • Preoperative oral carbohydrate
  • Metabolic Syndrome
  • Bariatric surgery
  • Gastrointestinal recovery
03

In context

Metabolic Syndrome

2,116 studies on the registry are indexed under Metabolic Syndrome; 347 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 208 is above the median of 60 across 1,572 interventional studies indexed under Metabolic Syndrome.

Browse Metabolic Syndrome studies →

Lead sponsor

First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University is the lead sponsor of 95 studies on the registry; 42 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 65 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  1. adults aged 18-65 years;
  2. diagnosis of metabolic syndrome (≥3 of the following: elevated waist circumference, elevated triglycerides, elevated blood pressure, elevated fasting glucose, and reduced HDL-C);
  3. eligibility for bariatric surgery( ≥35 kg/m² or metabolic disease with body mass index 27.5-34.9 kg/m²), with planned Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy;
  4. provision of written and willingness to complete follow-up.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. gastrointestinal motility disorders;
  2. severe cardiovascular, pulmonary, hepatic, or renal dysfunction;
  3. ≥8.0%;
  4. fasting plasma glucose >10.0 mmol/L at the preoperative assessment;
  5. malnutrition;
  6. known allergy to carbohydrate preparations;
  7. pregnancy or lactation;
  8. previous bariatric or gastrointestinal surgery;
  9. chronic use of medications known to substantially affect gastrointestinal motility.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(3)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

BMI (body mass index)

Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.

What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

HbA1c

A blood test of average blood sugar over the past two to three months, given as a percentage or in mmol/mol. 6.5% (48 mmol/mol) or more is the usual threshold for diabetes, normally confirmed by a second test.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Triple (Participant, Care provider, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
208 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    POC Group

    Fasted from solid foods for ≥6 hours (≥8 hours after fatty or meat-containing meals), with clear liquids permitted until 2 hours before surgery, and consumed 400 mL of a carbohydrate-containing clear liquid 2 hours before surgery.

    Other: Preoperative oral carbohydrate loading

  • Placebo comparator
    Control Group

    Fasted from solid foods for ≥6 hours (≥8 hours after fatty or meat-containing meals), with clear liquids permitted until 2 hours before surgery, and consumed 400 mL of a non-caloric, carbohydrate-free clear liquid with a similar appearance and taste 2 hours before surgery.

    Other: The placebo

Interventions

  • OtherPreoperative oral carbohydrate loading

    Participants in the POC group were fasted from solid foods for ≥6 hours (≥8 hours after fatty or meat-containing meals), with clear liquids permitted until 2 hours before surgery, and consumed 400 mL of a carbohydrate-containing clear liquid 2 hours before surgery. The beverage provided 12.5 g of carbohydrates per 100 mL and contained no fiber, protein, or fat.

  • OtherThe placebo

    Participants in the placebo group were instructed to follow the same preoperative fasting regimen and to consume 400 mL of a matching non-caloric, carbohydrate-free clear liquid 2 hours before surgery. The placebo was similar to the carbohydrate-containing beverage in appearance and taste,but contained no carbohydrates, fiber, protein, or fat.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. GI-3 recovery rate within 72 hours after surgery

    GI-3 is a composite endpoint defined as the ability to tolerate oral intake (consumption of food and drink at three consecutive meals without significant nausea or vomiting), accompanied by flatus or defecation.

    Time frame: Within 72 hours after surgery

Secondary outcomes

  1. Time to GI-3 recovery

    Time frame: From the end of surgery up to 7 days after surgery.

  2. Time to GI-2 recovery

    GI-2 is a composite endpoint defined as the ability to tolerate oral intake (consumption of food and drink at three consecutive meals without significant nausea or vomiting), accompanied by defecation

    Time frame: From the end of surgery up to 7 days after surgery.

  3. Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting Score

    Postoperative nausea and vomiting were assessed using the Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting Score, ranging from 0 to 6, with higher scores indicating more severe postoperative nausea and vomiting.

    Time frame: Days 1 - 4 postoperatively

  4. 15-item Quality of Recovery Score

    Quality of recovery was assessed using the 15-item Quality of Recovery Score, ranging from 0 to 150, with higher scores indicating better postoperative recovery.

    Time frame: Days 1 - 7 and 30 postoperatively

  5. Perioperative blood glucose levels

    Time frame: Measured before anesthesia induction, 1 hour after incision, before leaving the operating room, and 1 hour after surgery.

  6. Glycemic variability

    Time frame: Calculated based on blood glucose levels measured before anesthesia induction, 1 hour after incision, before leaving the operating room, and 1 hour after surgery.

  7. Time to first postoperative flatus

    Time frame: From the end of surgery up to 7 days after surgery.

  8. Time to first postoperative defecation

    Time frame: From the end of surgery up to 7 days after surgery.

  9. Total length of hospital stay (including readmissions within 30 days after surgery)

    Time frame: Within 30 days after surgery

Other outcomes

  1. Unplanned readmission rate within 30 days after surgery

    Time frame: Within 30 days after surgery

  2. Postoperative complications

    Classified according to the Clavien-Dindo classification criteria for complications

    Time frame: Within 30 days after surgery

  3. Gastric cross-sectional area (CSA)

    Calculated using the formula (AP × CC × π)/4, where AP is the anteroposterior diameter and CC is the craniocaudal diameter.

    Time frame: Before anaesthetic induction

  4. Gastric volume

    = 27.0 + 14.6 × CSA - 1.28 × age

    Time frame: Before anaesthetic induction

  5. Perlas grade

    Graded according to the Perlas system: grade 0 (no content in either position), grade 1 (only a small amount of fluid visible in the right lateral decubitus position), and grade 2 (distended antrum with fluid visible in both positions).

    Time frame: Before anaesthetic induction

  6. Corrected gastric volume (CGV)

    Recalculated in mL kg-¹

    Time frame: Before anaesthetic induction

  7. Incidence of regurgitation or aspiration

    Time frame: From anesthesia induction to discharge from the post-anesthesia care unit.

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University(No. 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing 400016, China)
    Chongqing, Chongqing Municipality 400016, China
    Recruiting
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

1 registry update since Sep 25, 2026
Status
Not yet recruiting→Recruiting
changed Oct 15, 2026
Sites
The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University(No. 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing 400016, China) is now Recruiting
Oct 15, 2026
Start date
Sep 30, 2026→Oct 8, 2026 (actual)
Oct 15, 2026
Show all 1 update
  1. Oct 15, 2026
    Not yet recruiting→Recruiting
    The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University(No. 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing 400016, China) is now Recruiting
    Start date Sep 30, 2026→Oct 8, 2026 (now actual)
    + 1 other change: verification date

From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07822763
Lead sponsor
First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University
Responsible party
Tong Mu (Doctor, Department of Anesthesiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Sep 16, 2026
Start date
Oct 8, 2026
Primary completion
Jan 2027 (estimated)
Completion
Jan 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Oct 15, 2026

Study contacts

Wei Ke, PhD
Contact
wk202448@hospital-cqmu.com
+86 13883904332
Wei Ke, PhD
study director · First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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