Five-year effectiveness of bariatric surgery on disease remission, weight loss, and changes of metabolic parameters in obese patients with type 2 diabetes: A population-based propensity score-matched cohort study

The role of bariatric surgery in hypertension control: a systematic review and meta-analysis with extended benefits on metabolic factors

BACKGROUND

By 2025, global obesity rates are projected to reach 16% in men and 21% in women, imposing a significant public health burden. Obesity is a major contributor to hypertension (HTN), exacerbating cardiovascular risks. This review and meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness of non-surgical treatments versus bariatric surgery in managing hypertension among obese individuals.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane databases up to May 2024. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing bariatric surgery (e.g., Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB), Sleeve gastrectomy (SG), Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB), Duodenal-jejunal bypass liner/Biliopancreatic diversion (DJBL/BPD)) with non-surgical interventions (e.g., lifestyle modifications, medications) in hypertensive obese patients were included. Primary outcomes were changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Secondary outcomes included changes in fasting blood sugar (FBS), HbA1c, and lipid profiles. Data were synthesized using a random-effects model, with heterogeneity and publication bias assessed.

RESULTS

From 7,187 records, 29 studies involving 2,548 patients met the inclusion criteria. Bariatric surgery resulted in greater reductions in systolic (MD: -4.506 mmHg; 95% CI: -6.999 to -2.013) and diastolic (MD: -3.040 mmHg; 95% CI: -4.765 to -1.314) blood pressure compared to non-surgical interventions. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass had the most significant impact. Bariatric surgery also led to substantial reductions in FBS (MD: -30.444 mg/dl; 95% CI: -41.288 to -19.601), HbA1c (MD: -1.108%; 95% CI: -1.414 to -0.802), and triglycerides (MD: -39.746 mg/dl; 95% CI: -54.458 to -25.034), and increased HDL levels (MD: 7.387 mg/dl; 95% CI: 5.056 to 9.719). The quality of evidence was high for most outcomes, supporting these findings.

CONCLUSION

Bariatric surgery is superior to non-surgical treatments in managing obesity-related hypertension and metabolic disorders. Reductions in blood pressure, glycemic indexes, and lipid profiles highlight bariatric surgery's critical role in improving cardiovascular health and metabolic outcomes in obese hypertensive patients.

Effect of Bariatric Surgery on the Sonographic Grade of Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease at 12-Month Follow-Up

BACKGROUND

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is the most prevalent liver disease across the globe. One of the most effective treatments for this disease is weight loss. This study aimed to determine how metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) affects MAFLD sonographic grades.

METHODS

In 2021, a pre-post study was conducted on 73 patients who underwent MBS. The study collected demographic information and ultrasound grades of MAFLD before and after MBS.

RESULTS

A total of 73 patients underwent MBS, with 58 females and 15 males. The patients had a mean age of 39.8 ± 8.88 years and a mean BMI of 42.12 ± 5.98 kg/m2. Of these patients, 53 (72.6%) underwent SG, while 20 (27.4%) underwent RYGB. The preoperative BMI for females and males decreased significantly at the 12-month follow-up (P = 0.0001). However, males experienced more prominent weight changes (P = 0.009), but there was no statistically significant difference in fatty liver grade changes after MBS between males and females (P = 0.056), which suggests that the effect of MBS on fatty liver grades is not gender-specific. There was a significant reduction in BMI and fatty liver grade for patients under and over 40 years old after surgery (P = 0.0001). However, there was no statistically significant difference in fatty liver grade and BMI changes after MBS between the two age groups. RYGB was found to be more effective than SG in reducing fatty liver grade, BMI, and %TWL (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Bariatric surgery can play a vital role in reducing the weight and severity of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease.

The Weight of Bariatric Surgery: Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome after Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy-A Case Series

In this case series, the simultaneous occurrence of Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) and dry beriberi was reported in three patients who underwent vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) between May 2021 and May 2023. All patients were obese women who underwent vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) without immediate postoperative complications, but two weeks later, hyperemesis and subsequent encephalopathy with ocular movement abnormalities and weakness were observed over the following thirty days. Patients were referred to neurology, where due to the high suspicion of WE, thiamine replacement therapy was initiated; meanwhile, diagnostic neuroimaging and blood tests were conducted. Neurological and psychiatric evaluations and neuroconduction studies were performed to assess the clinical evolution and present sequelae. One year after diagnosis, all patients exhibited affective and behavioral sequelae, anterograde memory impairment, and executive functioning deficits. Two patients met the criteria for Korsakoff syndrome. Additionally, peripheral nervous system sequelae were observed, with all patients presenting with sensorimotor polyneuropathy. In conclusion, Wernicke's encephalopathy requires a high diagnostic suspicion for timely intervention and prevention of irreversible sequelae, which can be devastating. Therefore, raising awareness among medical professionals regarding the significance of this disease is essential.

Coping and resilience levels of bariatric surgery candidates and affecting factors

PURPOSE

This study aimed to evaluate coping and resilience levels and affecting factors in candidates for bariatric surgery.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This was a descriptive study. Data were collected with Personal Information Form, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and Ways of Coping Inventory.

FINDINGS

This study was completed with 138 bariatric surgery candidates with a mean age of 35.70 ± 10.76. Candidates used problem-focused coping, and their resilience level was moderate.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Psychiatric nurses can develop training and counseling programs for the bariatric surgery candidates to enhance problem-focused coping and psychological resilience. These programs can apply routinely throughout the preoperative period and the postoperative period.

Impacts of bariatric surgery in health outcomes and health care costs in Brazil: Interrupted time series analysis of multi-panel data

Background

The increasing burden of obesity generates significant socioeconomic impacts for individuals, populations, and national health systems worldwide. The literature on impacts and cost-effectiveness of obesity-related interventions for prevention and treatment of moderate to severe obesity indicate that bariatric surgery presents high costs associated with high effectiveness in improving health status referring to certain outcomes; however, there is a lack of robust evidence at an individual-level estimation of its impacts on multiple health outcomes related to obesity comorbidities.

Methods

The study encompasses a single-centre retrospective longitudinal analysis of patient-level data using micro-costing technique to estimate direct health care costs with cost-effectiveness for multiple health outcomes pre-and post-bariatric surgery. Data from 114 patients who had bariatric surgery at the Hospital of Clinics of the University of Sao Paulo during 2018 were investigated through interrupted time-series analysis with generalised estimating equations and marginal effects, including information on patients' characteristics, lifestyle, anthropometric measures, hemodynamic measures, biochemical exams, and utilisation of health care resources during screening (180 days before) and follow-up (180 days after) of bariatric surgery.

Results

The preliminary statistical analysis showed that health outcomes presented improvement, except cholesterol and VLDL, and overall direct health care costs increased after the intervention. However, interrupted time series analysis showed that the rise in health care costs is attributable to the high cost of bariatric surgery, followed by a statistically significant decrease in post-intervention health care costs. Changes in health outcomes were also statistically significant in general, except in cholesterol and LDL, leading to significant improvements in patients' health status after the intervention.

Conclusions

Trends multiple health outcomes showed statistically significant improvements in patients' health status post-intervention compared to trends pre-intervention, resulting in reduced direct health care costs and the burden of obesity.

Association between bariatric surgery and risks of cancer among Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

To examine risks of cancers, obesity-related cancers (eg, cancers in digestive organs, breast, ovary, kidney, thyroid, and myeloma), cancer-related mortality, and all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity who underwent bariatric surgery.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort of 1944 T2DM patients with obesity (345 bariatric surgery patients and 1599 matched controls) who were free of cancer from 2006 to 2017 was assembled. One-to-five propensity score matching followed by propensity score trimming was used to balance baseline covariates.

RESULTS

During a mean follow-up period of 37 months, there are risks that in 3.2%, 1.4%, 0.9%, and 3.2% of bariatric patients cancer, obesity-related cancer, cancer-related mortality, and all-cause mortality, respectively, would occur. Surgical patients were found to have reduced incidence rates (IRs) of obesity-related cancer (0.531/100 person-years, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.172-1.238/100 person-years) and cancer of breast and genital organs (0.394/100 person-years, 95% CI: 0.048-1.424/100 person-years) than matched control patients whose IRs for obesity-related cancer and cancer of breast and genital organs were 0.627/100 person-years (95% CI: 0.426-0.889/100 person-years) and 0.521/100 person-years (95% CI: 0.277-0.891/100 person-years), respectively. Patients in the surgical group had a significant reduction in risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.508, P = .041). Effects of bariatric surgery on any cancers (HR = 1.254, P = .510), obesity-related cancers (HR = 0.843, P = .724), and cancer mortality (HR = 1.304, P = .694) were not significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Bariatric surgery was not associated with risks of overall cancer, obesity-related cancer, and cancer mortality among T2DM patients with obesity at 3 years.

Improvement in mood symptoms ​after post-bariatric surgery among people with obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIMS

We aimed to examine if bariatric surgery was associated with a reduction in the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms among people with obesity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We pooled data from 49 studies involving 11,255 people with obesity who underwent bariatric surgery. The study outcomes were the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms among these patients pre- and post-surgery.

RESULTS

There was a significant reduction in body mass index (BMI) post-operatively (pooled d+: -13.3 kg/m² [95% confidence interval [CI] 15.19, -11.47], p < 0.001). The pooled proportion of patients with anxiety symptoms reduced from 24.5% pre-operatively to 16.9% post-operatively, with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.58 (95% CI 0.51, 0.67, p < 0.001). The reduction remained significant in women aged ≥40 years and irrespective of post-operative BMI. There were significant reductions in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score (HADS) (anxiety component) by 0.64 (pooled d+: -0.64 [95% CI -1.06, -0.22], p = 0.003) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment-7 score by 0.54 (pooled d+: -0.54 [95% CI -0.64, -0.44], p < 0.001). The pooled proportion of depressive symptoms reduced from 34.7% pre-operatively to 20.4% post-operatively, with an OR of 0.49 (95% CI 0.37, 0.65, p < 0.001). The reduction remained significant irrespective of patient's age and post-operative BMI. There were also significant reductions in HADS score (depressive component) (pooled d+: -1.34 [95% CI -1.93, -0.76], p < 0.001), Beck's Depression Inventory score (pooled d+: -1.04 [95% CI -1.46, -0.63], p < 0.001) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score (pooled d+: -1.11 [95% CI -1.21, -1.01], p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Bariatric surgery was associated with significant reduction in the prevalence and severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms among people with obesity.

The Impact of Bariatric Surgery Versus Non-Surgical Treatment on Blood Pressure: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The purpose of this study was to compare bariatric surgery versus non-surgical treatment on blood pressure for patients with obesity. Nineteen RCTs (1353 total patients) were included. In the pooled analyses, bariatric surgery reduces more systolic blood pressure (WMD: - 3.937 mmHg, CI95%: - 6.000 to - 1.875, p < 0.001, I² = 0%), diastolic blood pressure (WMD: - 2.690 mmHg, CI95%: - 3.994 to - 1.385, P < 0.001, I² = 0%) and more antihypertensives. In subgroup analyses, patients after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, with poor control of hypertension (BP > 130/80 mmHg) and diabetes mellitus (HbA1C > 7.0%, FPG > 7.0 mmol/L), elder patients (> 45 years), non-severe obesity (BMI < 40 kg/cm², body weight < 120 kg), less waist circumference (< 115 cm) tend to decrease more blood pressure. Besides, patients after surgery also lost more weight (p < 0.001), decreased more waist circumference (p < 0.001), fasting plasma glucose (p < 0.001), glycosylated hemoglobin (p < 0.001), triglycerides (p < 0.001), hsCRP (p = 0.001), increased more high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < 0.001), and had better remission of metabolic syndrome (p < 0.001). Changes in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, renal function, resting heart rate, and 6-min walking test were not significantly different. Therefore, bariatric surgery is more effective than non-surgical treatment in controlling patients' blood pressure.

Effects of bariatric surgery on kidney diseases, cardiovascular diseases, mortality and severe hypoglycaemia among patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND

Bariatric surgery has been widely indicated for the management of obesity and related comorbidities. However, there are uncertainties pertaining to the risks of post-bariatric severe hypoglycaemia (SH), cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), end-stage kidney diseases (ESKDs) and all-cause mortality in obese patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), especially among Asian populations.

METHODS

A retrospective population-based cohort of 1702 obese T2DM patients who were free of CVD and ESKD were assembled based on the 2006-17 Hospital Authority database. One-to-five propensity-score matching was used to balance baseline covariates between patients in bariatric surgery and control groups. Incidence rates (IRs) of SH, CVD, Stage 4/5 chronic kidney diseases (CKD), ESKD and all-cause mortality events for two groups were calculated. Hazard ratios (HR) for SH, CVD and Stage 4/5 CKD events were assessed using Cox-proportional hazard models. Changes in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urine albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR) were measured up to 60 months.

RESULTS

Over a mean follow-up period of 32 months with 5725 person-years, cumulative incidences of mortality, CVD, Stage 4/5 CKD, ESKD and SH were 0, 0.036, 0.050, 0.017 and 0.020, respectively. The surgery group had a significant reduction in risk of CVD events (HR = 0.464, P = 0.015) and no occurrence of mortality events. However, there were no significant differences in risks of SH [HR = 0.469, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.204-1.081], Stage 4/5 CKD (HR =0.896, 95% CI: 0.519-1.545) and ESKD (HR = 0.666, 95% CI: 0.264-1.683) between two groups, although IRs were lower in the surgery group. Surgical patients had significantly higher eGFR within 12 months and had significantly lower UACR until 48 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Among obese T2DM patients, bariatric surgery lowered the risk of CVD and mortality, and was beneficial towards the kidney outcomes.

Metabolic surgery in China: present and future

Obesity and its related complications comprise a serious public health problem worldwide, and obesity is increasing in China. Metabolic surgery is a new type of treatment with unique advantages in weight loss and obesity-related metabolic complications. The pathogenesis of obesity is complex and not yet fully understood. Here, we review the current efficacy and safety of metabolic surgery, as well as recent progress in mechanistic studies and surgical procedures in China. The exciting and rapid advances in this field provide new opportunities for patients with obesity and strike a balance between long-term effectiveness and safety.

Association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and incident diabetes mellitus among Japanese: a retrospective cohort study using propensity score matching

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have demonstrated that nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a significant risk factor for diabetes mellitus (DM). However, these studies did not completely determine the relationship between NAFLD and DM due to unbalanced confounding factors. The propensity score (PS) is the conditional probability of having a particular exposure, given a set of baseline measured covariates. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis could minimise the effects of potential confounders. Thus, this study aimed to use PSM analysis to explore the association between NAFLD and DM in a large Japanese cohort.

METHODS

This retrospective PSM cohort study was performed on 14,280 Japanese participants without DM at baseline in Murakami Memorial Hospital between 2004 and 2015. The independent variable was NAFLD at baseline, and the outcome was the incidence of DM during follow-up. One-to-one PSM revealed 1671 participants with and without NAFLD. A doubly robust estimation method was applied to verify the correlation between NAFLD and DM.

RESULTS

The risk of developing DM in participants with NAFLD increased by 98% according to the PSM analysis (HR = 1.98, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.41-2.80, P < 0.0001). The risk of developing DM in the NAFLD participants was 2.33 times that of the non-NAFLD participants in the PSM cohort after adjusting for the demographic and laboratory biochemical variables (HR = 2.33, 95% CI: 1.63-3.32, P < 0.0001). The participants with NAFLD had a 95% increased risk of DM after adjusting for PS (HR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.39-2.75, P = 0.0001). All potential confounding variables were not significantly associated with NAFLD and DM after PSM in the subgroup analysis. In the sensitivity analysis, the participants with NAFLD had a 2.17-fold higher risk of developing DM in the original cohort (HR = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.63-2.88, P < 0.0001) and were 2.27-fold more likely to develop DM in the weighted cohort (HR = 2.27, 95% CI: 1.91-2.69, P < 0.00001).

CONCLUSIONS

NAFLD was an independent risk factor for the development of DM. The risk of developing DM in the NAFLD participants was 2.33 times that of the non-NAFLD participants in the PSM cohort after adjusting for the demographic and laboratory biochemical variables. The participants with NAFLD had a 95% increased risk of DM after adjusting for PS.

Achieving blood pressure targets and antihypertensive effects through metabolic surgery in type 2 diabetes patients with hypertension

AIMS

The effect of metabolic surgery compared with that of conventional therapy on target blood pressure (BP)and defined daily dose (DDD) of antihypertensive drugs in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients with hypertension remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the differences in target BP and DDD between metabolic surgery and conventional treatment in T2DM patients with hypertension.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a prospective study of 535 diabetes patients who underwent metabolic surgery (n = 112) and medical treatment (n = 423). Changes in the target BP from baseline to every follow-up were analysed.

RESULTS

Metabolic surgery decreased both office systolic and diastolic BP (DBP) and also significantly reduced ambulatory systolic BP (SBP; 132 ± 2 vs. 119 ± 1 mmHg, p < 0.0001), but not DBP (78 ± 1 vs. 76 ± 1 mmHg, p = 0.177). Patients maintained their SBP at <120 mmHg after 2 years (50% vs. 1.9%, p < 0.0001). Moreover, the rate of achieving the target SBP of 130 and 140 mmHg was also significantly higher in the surgery group, and this started from the initial 6 months after commencing treatment to the end of follow-up. The dosage (DDD: 1.44 ± 0.65 vs. 0.32 ± 0.05, p < 0.001) of antihypertensive medication was significantly decreased after metabolic surgery. Furthermore, metabolic surgery, but not medical treatment, markedly improved the risks of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Metabolic surgery can effectively achieve the BP target and reduce the usage of antihypertensive medications as well as improve multiple metabolic dysfunction in T2DM patients with hypertension. This study provides an alternative approach to antagonize the metabolic related hypertension.

Association of hypertension and incident diabetes in Chinese adults: a retrospective cohort study using propensity-score matching

BACKGROUND

Reliable quantification of the relationship between hypertension and diabetes risk is limited, especially among Chinese people. We aimed to investigate the association between hypertension and the risk of diabetes in a large cohort of the Chinese population.

METHODS

This was a retrospective propensity score-matched cohort study among 211,809 Chinese adults without diabetes at baseline between 2010 and 2016. The target independent and dependent variable were hypertension at baseline and incident diabetes during follow-up respectively. The propensity score matching using a non-parsimonious multivariable logistic regression was conducted to balance the confounders between 28,711 hypertensive patients and 28,711 non-hypertensive participants. The doubly robust estimation method was used to investigate the association between hypertension and diabetes.

RESULTS

In the propensity-score matching cohort, diabetes risk increased by 11.0% among hypertensive patients (HR = 1.110, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.031-1.195, P = 0.00539). And diabetes risk dropped to 8.3% among hypertensive subjects after adjusting for the propensity score (HR = 1.083, 95%CI: 1.006-1.166, P = 0.03367). Compared to non-hypertensive participants with low propensity score, the risk of incident diabetes increased by 2.646 times among hypertensive patients with high propensity score (HR = 3.646, 95%CI: 2.635-5.045, P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Hypertension was associated with an 11.0% increase in the risk of developing diabetes in Chinese adults. And the figure dropped to 8.3% after adjusting the propensity score. Additionally, compared to non-hypertensive participants with low propensity scores, the risk of incident diabetes increased by 2.646 times among hypertensive patients with high propensity scores.