BACKGROUND Preconditioning of patients preparing for bariatric (metabolic) surgery is largely influenced by local clinical expertise and is encumbered by the lack of structured, evidence-based clinical guidelines that predict the most optimal clinical outcomes. There are conflicting views concerning the amount of pre-operative weight loss that is required to increase post-surgical weight loss.
METHODS We analysed prospectively collected data on surgically treated patients enrolled in the Blacktown Hospital Metabolic and Weight Loss Program, a publicly-funded multidisciplinary tertiary hospital program with integration of bariatric surgery, during 2017 - June 2019. Eligible patients had a BMI > 35 kg/m2 with co-existent type 2 diabetes or BMI > 40 kg/m2 with 2 obesity-related complications.
RESULTS Of 27 patients who received metabolic surgery, 56% were female, average BMI at enrolment was 49.9 kg/m2 and average age 50.1 yrs. Sleeve gastrectomy was the dominant procedure (78% vs. single anastomosis gastric bypass, 22%). Patients who achieved a total body weight loss (TBWL) of <5% (n=6), 5.1-10% (n=13), 10.1-15% (n=3), and > 15.1% (n=5) had excess weight loss (EWL) of 23, 31, 29 and 32% at 3-months and 32, 46, 42, and 45% at 6-months. Analysis of weight loss as a binary variable using a logistic model correcting for age, gender and enrolment BMI, increasing weight loss preoperatively was associated with increasing likelihood of achieving > 25% EWL at 3-months (odds ratio 4.1 [1.1-15.1, p=0.029]). There were no apparent differences among surgical methods at 3 and 6 months.
CONCLUSIONS In this small cohort, modest weight loss preoperatively appears to increase the likelihood of early post-operative weight loss. Evaluation of longer-term and larger cohort data as well as incident rates of surgical complications, amelioration of obesity-related disease and health economics analysis is ongoing.