Goldenshluger M, et al. - This study sought to assess the outcomes, weight loss predictors, and gastrointestinal symptoms of patients after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). Researchers identified that LSG has a potential to achieve almost 75% of excess body weight loss (%EWL) with significant remission of co-morbidities, along with various late gastrointestinal symptoms.

Methods

• Using a questionnaire, researchers obtained the postoperative medical status of the patients retrospectively and compared it to existing medical data before the surgery.

Results

• 201 candidates were included; mean 3 years follow-up was completed by 178 patients.
• After LSG, findings revealed mean excess body weight loss (%EWL) of 65.14% ± 15.74 at 6 months, 78.53% ± 20.28 at 12 months, and 74.32% ± 23.92 at 3 years.
• Negative predictors for EWL% included older age (P = 0.018), higher baseline BMI (P = 0.003), and higher number of medications (P < 0.001).
• A positive predictor for EWL% was total weekly hours of physical activity (P = 0.008).
• Observations revealed that remission rates of co-morbidities were 83.5% for dyslipidemia (P < 0.001), 65.8% for hypertension (P < 0.001), 62.1% for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) (P < 0.001), and 60.7% for gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) (P < 0.001).
• Following were identified as the late gastrointestinal symptoms: emesis in 25.9%, constipation in 24.7%, diarrhea in 4.5%, food intolerance in 22.5% and alopecia in 42.7% of the patients.