Gastric bypass found to be durable long term

Editor's Note

This 12-year study showed long-term durability of weight loss and effective remission and prevention of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery.

For the study, 1,156 severely obese patients were divided into three groups: 418 who sought and had Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (surgery group), 417 who sought but did not have surgery (nonsurgery group 1), and 321 who did not seek surgery (nonsurgery group 2). Patients were assessed at baseline, 2 years, 6 years, and 12 years.

The adjusted mean change from baseline in body weight in the surgery group was -45.0 kg at 2 years, -36.3 kg at 6 years, and -35 kg at 12 years. The mean change at 12 years in nonsurgery group 1 was -2.9 kg, and the mean change in nonsurgery group 2 was 0 kg.

Of the surgery group patients who had type 2 diabetes at baseline, diabetes remitted in 66 of 68 patients at 2 years, in 54 of 87 at 6 years, and in 43 of 84 at 12 years.

The surgery group also had higher remission rates and lower incidence rates of hypertension and dyslipidemia than the nonsurgery groups.