Real-World Experience of Intragastric Balloons for Obesity: Insights from the FDA Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) Database

Assessing the Reproducibility of Research Based on the Food and Drug Administration Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience Data

OBJECTIVE

This article aims to assess the reproducibility of Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) data-driven studies by analyzing the data queries used in their research processes.

METHODS

Studies using MAUDE data were sourced from PubMed by searching for "MAUDE" or "Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience" in titles or abstracts. We manually chose articles with executable queries. The reproducibility of each query was assessed by replicating it in the MAUDE Application Programming Interface. The reproducibility of a query is determined by a reproducibility coefficient that ranges from 0.95 to 1.05. This coefficient is calculated by comparing the number of medical device reports (MDRs) returned by the reproduced queries to the number of reported MDRs in the original studies. We also computed the reproducibility ratio, which is the fraction of reproducible queries in subgroups divided by the query complexity, the device category, and the presence of a data processing flow.

RESULTS

As of August 8, 2022, we identified 523 articles from which 336 contained queries, and 60 of these were executable. Among these, 14 queries were reproducible. Queries using a single field like product code, product class, or brand name showed higher reproducibility (50%, 33.3%, 31.3%) compared with other fields (8.3%, P = 0.037). Single-category device queries exhibited a higher reproducibility ratio than multicategory ones, but without statistical significance (27.1% versus 8.3%, P = 0.321). Studies including a data processing flow had a higher reproducibility ratio than those without, although this difference was not statistically significant (42.9% versus 17.4%, P = 0.107).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that the reproducibility of queries in MAUDE data-driven studies is limited. Enhancing this requires the development of more effective MAUDE data query strategies and improved application programming interfaces.

Lifestyle in Obese Individuals during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: Stay-at-home orders in response to the Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic have forced abrupt changes to daily routines. The aim of this study is to describe the behavior of lifestyles of individuals with obesity on the waiting list for bariatric surgery in the Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences of University of Foggia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods: From June 2020 to December 2020 an online survey format was administered to all the patients (n = 52) enrolled for bariatric surgery subjects with obesity, to obtain information about the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on patients with obesity starting 9 March 2020 until 18 May 2020. Results: Our data showed that 58% of patients stated that the pandemic negatively affected their mood, 60% of patients confirmed that they changed their dietary behaviors during the stay-at-home period, as they consumed more unhealthy foods or spent less time cooking home cooked meals. In addition, 71% of patients stated that the closure of the gyms worsened their obesity condition and their mental well-being with an increase of a feeling of anxiety. Conclusions: Results showed that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on health behaviors, including quality of life, mental health physical activity, weight maintenance, and consumption of sweets in obese patients.

Can indocyanine green during laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy be considered a new intraoperative modality for leak testing?

Background

Indocyanine green (ICG) when injected intravenously into the bloodstream allows us to show stomach vascularity in real time. The aim of our study was to observe the preliminary results of the application of indocyanine green fluorescence (IGF) during laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) in our center and how the perfusion of the staple line of the stomach affects the onset of fistula.

Materials and methods

82 patients underwent LSG with ICG fluorescence angiography at our center from January 2020 to December 2021. 5 ml of ICG was injected intravenously to identify the blood supply of the stomach, carefully assessing the angle of His.

Results

In the ICG-tested LSG, we recorded adequate perfusion in all patients but one: the leakage rate was 1.2%. This data is inferior to the non-tested patients’ group.

Conclusion

Intraoperative ICG testing may be helpful in determining which patients are at an increased risk for leakage but there are multiple factors contribute to the pathophysiology and the incidence of gastric fistula not only the perfusion.

Trial registration Retrospectively registrated