Is Sleeve Gastrectomy as Effective in Older Patients as in Younger Patients? A Comparative Analysis of Weight Loss, Related Comorbidities, and Medication Requirements

Factors contributing to weight loss success after bariatric procedures in patient over 65 years old: a multicenter retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Although bariatric surgery in patients over 65 years of age gives comparable results to treatment in the younger population, there are still controversies regarding the indications for surgery, risk assessment, and choice between different types of surgery. The study aimed to identify the factors contributing to weight loss success after bariatric surgery in patients over 65 years of age.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This is a retrospective, multicenter cohort study of patients with obesity aged over 65 years undergoing primary laparoscopic bariatric surgery in the years 2008-2022. Data came from 11 bariatric centers. Patients were divided into two groups: responders (R) who achieved more than 50% EWL and nonresponders (NR) who achieved less than 50% EWL. Both groups were compared. Uni- and multivariate logistic regression was used to identify predictors of weight loss success.

RESULTS

Out of 274 analyzed patients, the average BMI before surgery was 42.9 kg/m 2 . The most common obesity-related diseases were hypertension (85.1%) and type 2 diabetes (53.3%). Sleeve gastrectomy was the most frequently performed procedure (85.4%). Uni- and multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed preoperative BMI (OR=0.9, 95% CI: 0.82-0.98, P =0.02), duration of diabetes >10 years (OR=0.3, 95% CI: 0.09-0.82, P =0.02), balloon placement (OR=10.6, 95% CI: 1.33-84.83, P =0.03), time since first visit (OR=0.9, 95% CI: 0.84-0.99, P =0.04), preoperative weight loss (OR=0.9, 95% CI: 0.86-0.98, P =0.01), and OAGB (OR=15.7, 95% CI: 1.71-143.99, P =0.02) to have a significant impact on weight loss success 1 year after bariatric surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with higher preoperative weight loss may have a poorer response to surgery. OAGB emerged as the most beneficial type of surgery in terms of weight loss. Intragastric balloon placement before surgery may be effective in patients above 65 years of age and may be considered as a two-stage approach.

Comparing the safety and efficacy of sleeve gastrectomy versus Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in elderly (>60 years) with severe obesity: an umbrella systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Today, bariatric surgeons face the challenge of treating older adults with class III obesity. The indications and outcomes of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) versus sleeve gastrectomy (SG) also constitute a controversy.

METHODS

PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus were searched to retrieve systematic reviews/meta-analyses published by 1 March 2022. The selected articles were qualitatively evaluated using A Measurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews (AMSTAR).

RESULTS

An umbrella review included six meta-analyses retrieved from the literature. The risk of early-emerging and late-emerging complications decreased by 55% and 41% in the patients underwent SG than in those receiving RYGB, respectively. The chance of the remission of hypertension and obstructive sleep apnoea, respectively increased by 43% and 6%, but type-2 diabetes mellitus decreased by 4% in the patients underwent RYGB than in those receiving SG. RYGB also increased excess weight loss by 15.23% in the patients underwent RYGB than in those receiving SG.

CONCLUSION

Lower levels of mortality and early-emerging and late-emerging complications were observed in the older adults undergoing SG than in those receiving RYGB, which was, however, more efficient in term of weight loss outcomes and recurrence of obesity-related diseases.

Predictors of complete remission of type 2 diabetes in patients over 65 years of age - a multicenter study

INTRODUCTION

The type 2 diabetes (T2D) improvement rate in the elderly is high after bariatric and metabolic surgery, but not all patients achieve complete remission of disease. There are some predictors for T2D remission after bariatric surgery in patients of different ages, but there are few studies describing these factors in elderly patients. The study aimed to determine predictors for diabetes remission after bariatric surgery among patients over 65 years of age.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A retrospective study analyzed patients over 65 years with T2D who underwent laparoscopic bariatric procedures in European country from 2008 to 2022. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to obtain significant, independent risk factors.

RESULTS

The group consisted of 146 patients divided into two groups: responders (R) and nonresponders (NR). The complete remission of T2D was achieved in 51 (34.9%) patients. There were 95 (65.1%) patients in the NR group with partial remission, improvement, or no changes in T2D. The mean follow-up was 50.0 months. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, a T2D duration of less than 5 years was found to be a predictor to T2D remission (OR = 5.5, p = 0.002), %EWL significantly corresponded to T2D remission (OR = 1.090, p = 0009).

CONCLUSION

Bariatric and metabolic surgery appears to be a good option for T2D treatment in elderly patients. A shorter duration of T2D before surgery and higher %EWL after surgery were independent predictors of T2D remission in patients over 65 years of age.

Predicting serious complications following bariatric surgery in geriatric patients: development of the GeriBari scoring tool using the MBSAQIP database

BACKGROUND

Geriatric patients have a greater risk of complications after bariatric surgery. The objective of this study was to develop a tool to predict serious complications in geriatric patients after minimally invasive bariatric surgery.

OBJECTIVES

To develop a predictive model, GeriBari, for serious complications in geriatric patients after bariatric surgery.

SETTING

Multiple accredited bariatric surgery centers in the United States and Canada.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study of the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program database, which collects 30-day bariatric surgery outcomes from 868 accredited centers. Geriatric patients defined as those ≥65 years old who underwent primary laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) or laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) were included. Characteristics associated with serious complications were identified using univariate and multivariable analyses. A predictive model, GeriBari, was derived using a forward selection algorithm from operative years 2015, 2017, and 2019. GeriBari's robustness was tested against a validation cohort of subjects from operative years 2016 and 2018.

RESULTS

A total of 40,199 geriatric patients underwent LRYGB (27.7%) or LSG (72.3%). Overall, 1866 (4.6%) experienced a complication, which included bleeding (1.6%), reoperation (1.6%), reintervention (1.3%), unplanned intubation (.4%), and pneumonia (.4%). Mortality was higher in the geriatric patients than that in younger patients (.27% versus .08%). GeriBari consists of 12 factors that predicted serious complications and stratified individuals into high- (>6%) and low-risk (<6%) groups. This tool accurately predicted events in the validation cohort with sensitivity of 46.0% and specificity of 100%.

CONCLUSIONS

GeriBari enables preoperative risk stratification for 30-day serious complications in geriatric patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Stratifying low- and high-risk geriatric patients for adverse events allows for informed clinical decision-making prior to bariatric surgery.

Weight Loss After Bariatric Surgery in Different Age Groups

PURPOSE

Weight loss after bariatric operations may be reduced in older patients due to changes in metabolism. Some studies showed inferior weight loss in older patients compared to younger ones while others showed no such difference. In order to counsel patients about the expected weight loss after bariatric surgery, recommendations stratified by age are important.

METHODS

This study encompasses a retrospective analysis of 500 consecutive patients with RYGB or sleeve gastrectomies from a single institution with a mean follow-up time of 3.6 years. Patients were stratified into five groups according to age at the time point of the operation: < 30 years, 30-39 years, 40-49 years, 50-59 years, and ≥ 60 years.

RESULTS

Weight loss expressed in percent excessive body mass index loss (%EBMIL) at nadir were 86.6, 89.5, 84.0, 77.9, and 76.4% and 75.6, 78.4, 73.3, 68.0, and 69.0% at the time of last follow-up for the five groups, respectively. Weight loss was significantly higher in younger patients than in older patients for both time points. The total number of comorbidities that showed complete remission (normal values without treatment), was also significantly higher in the younger age groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Primary bariatric operations yield better weight loss results and remission rates of obesity related comorbidities in younger patients, but are still effective in older individuals.