Impact of age, sex and body mass index on outcomes at four years after gastric banding.

BACKGROUND: Adjustable gastric banding for weight reduction in severely obese persons allows reversible individualized restriction during postoperative follow-up. It is unknown whether preoperative age, sex and BMI might modulate treatment outcome. METHODS: 404 severely obese patients (79% women; age 42 +/- 0.5 years [mean +/- SEM]; BMI 42.1 +/- 0.2 kg/m2) completed 4-year follow-up after banding. Weight loss, complications, and Bariatric Analysis and Reporting Outcome System (BAROS) scores were recorded prospectively. RESULTS: 4 years after banding, younger (<50 years) women lost more weight than older (50 years) men (28.2 +/- 0.7% vs 19.4+/- 1.6%; P=0.001); older women and younger men lost similar weight. Patients with preoperative BMI >50 lost more weight than patients with BMI <35 (30.5 +/- 2.3% vs 22.8 +/- 2.6%; P=0.03). 22.3% of patients (n=90) had band system-related complications. Compared to women, men had more band leaks (7.0% vs 1.9%; P=0.007), and older men had more band slippages than younger men (8.4% vs 0.0%; P=0.035). Patients with preoperative BMI >50 were less likely than patients with BMI 35-40 or 40-50 to experience gastric complications (10.6%, 18.8%, 23.0%, respectively), but more likely to experience port/tube complications (15.8%, 2.4%, 7.9%, respectively; P<0.055). BAROS scores were different between men and women (P=0.05), and between younger and older people (P=0.001). Women and younger people were more likely than men and older people to score "very good" (P=0.03, P=0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Adjustable gastric banding is an effective intermediate-term treatment for severe obesity. Preoperative age, sex, and BMI are important modulators of outcome and should be considered during preoperative evaluation.

Management of failed adjustable gastric banding.

BACKGROUND: About 100,000 adjustable gastric band placements have been performed worldwide, but more than 10% of patients have needed reoperation for insufficient weight loss or device-related complications. This study investigates the complications following gastric banding, and the outcome using a structured management strategy. METHODS: In the period April 1996 to January 2002, 824 severely obese patients (body mass index 43 +/- 1 kg/m 2 [mean +/- standard error under the mean], age 43 +/- 1 years; 77% women) underwent gastric banding in a single institution and were followed prospectively. Complications, insufficient weight loss, and subsequent management were analyzed. RESULTS: By the fifth treatment year, excess weight loss (EWL) was 54.8 +/- 1.7%; 72.8% of patients lost weight continuously or attained EWL of at least 50%. Insufficient weight loss occurred in 143 patients, and band-related complications occurred in 131 patients, with a mean annual rate of 5.0%. Major reoperation was necessary in 121 patients, and the annual reoperation rate was 4.7%. Following major reoperation, band- and bypass-related complication rates ranged from 6.3% to 11.7% per year. Three deaths occurred, 1 after reoperation and 2 due to preexisting cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSIONS: Applying a structured reoperation algorithm, 5% annual failure after banding was corrected in most patients, and 72.8% of patients attained sufficient weight loss. Reoperation-related mortality was low (.8%), and its annual morbidity was acceptable (4.6%).

Gene variants and binge eating as predictors of comorbidity and outcome of treatment in severe obesity.

Melanocortin-4 receptor gene (MC4R) variants are associated with obesity and binge eating disorder (BED), whereas the more prevalent proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and leptin receptor gene (LEPR) mutations are rarely associated with obesity or BED. The complete coding regions of MC4R, POMC, and leptin-binding domain of LEPR were comparatively sequenced in 300 patients (233 women and 67 men; mean +/- SEM age, 42 +/- 1 years; mean +/- SEM body mass index, 43.5 +/- 0.3 kg/m2) undergoing laparoscopic gastric banding. Eating behavior, esophagogastric pathology, metabolic syndrome prevalence, and postoperative weight loss and complications were retrospectively compared between carriers and noncarriers of gene variants with and without BED during 36 +/- 3-month follow-up. Nineteen patients (6.3%) carried 8 MC4R variants, 144 (48.0%) carried 13 POMC variants, and 247 (82.3%) carried 11 LEPR variants. All MC4R variant carriers had BED, compared with 18.1% of noncarriers (P < 0.001). BED rates were similar among POMC and LEPR variant carriers and noncarriers. Gastroscopy revealed more erosive esophagitis in bingers than in nonbingers before and after banding (P < 0.04), regardless of genotype. MC4R variant carriers lost less weight (P=0.003), showed less improvement in metabolic syndrome (P < 0.001), had dilated esophagi (P < 0.001) and more vomiting (P < 0.05), and had fivefold more gastric complications (P < 0.001) than noncarriers. Overall outcome was poorest in MC4R variant carriers, better in noncarriers with BED (P < 0.05), and best in noncarriers without BED (P < 0.001). MC4R variants influence comorbidities and treatment outcomes in severe obesity.

G protein polymorphisms do not predict weight loss and improvement of hypertension in severely obese patients.

Both the gene encoding the alpha subunit of G stimulatory proteins (GNAS1) and the beta3 subunit gene (GNB3) of G proteins are associated with obesity and/or hypertension. Moreover, the TT/TC825 polymorphism of GNB3 predicts greater weight loss than the CC825 polymorphism in obese patients (mean body mass index, 35 kg/m2) undergoing a structured nonpharmacologic weight loss program. Gastric banding enforces a low-calorie diet by diminishing the need for volitional adherence. It is unknown whether these polymorphisms predict the variable weight loss in patients after bariatric surgery. Three hundred and four severely obese patients (mean +/- SEM age, 42 +/- 1 years; 245 women and 59 men; mean +/- SEM body mass index, 43.9 +/- 0.3 kg/m2) followed prospectively for at least 3 years after surgery were genotyped for the GNB3 C825T, G814A, and GNAS1 T393 polymorphisms. All analyses were performed blinded to the phenotypic characteristics of the study group. Frequencies of polymorphisms were comparable to those previously published. No polymorphism studied predicted 3-year weight loss or was associated with high blood pressure in severely obese patients after gastric banding. Multivariate analysis of potentially confounding factors such as reoperation rate or use of sibutramine or orlistat revealed similar results (P > 0.1). Regardless of the mechanism(s) involved for these discordant findings, GNB3 C825T, G814A, and GNAS1 T393C polymorphisms do not seem to be reliable predictors of long-term weight loss.

Laparoscopic gastric bypass versus laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding: a comparative study of 1,200 cases.

BACKGROUND: Indications for and results of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) and laparoscopic gastric bypass (LGB) are still controversial, especially between Europe and the United States. The recent availability of gastric bandings in the United States made it necessary to compare the two techniques. STUDY DESIGN: We compared a series of 456 LGB to a series of 805 LAGB performed in two different institutions. Body mass index (BMI), complication rate, mortality, and excess weight loss (EWL) after 3, 6, 12, and 18 months were obtained. A Fischer's exact test and a Student t test with covariance analysis were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Results are expressed as a mean +/- standard deviation, comparing LGB with LAGB. Preoperative BMI was 49.4 +/- 8.3 kg/m(2) versus 42.2 +/- 4.9 kg/m(2) (p = 0.0001), respectively. Perioperative major complication rates were 2.0% versus 1.3% (NS), and the early postoperative major complication rates were 4.2% versus 1.7% (p = 0.02), respectively. Mortality rate was 0.4% versus 0% (NS), respectively. The global EWL was 36.3% for LGB versus 14.7% for LAGB at 3 months (p < 0.0001), 51.6% versus 21.9% at 6 months (p < 0.0001), 67.0% versus 33.3% at 12 months (p < 0.0001), and 74.6% versus 40.4% at 18 months (p < 0.0001), respectively. Longterm followup for the LAGB group showed an EWL of 47% at 2 years, 56% at 3 years, and 58% at 4 years. Patients were sorted after their preoperative BMI (30 to 40, 40 to 50, and 50 to 60 kg/m(2)). The EWL at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months was statistically superior in the LGB group, for any BMI ranges. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that LGB provides a higher EWL at 18 months, compared with LAGB, and this was true for any preoperative BMI range. It is associated with a higher early postoperative complication rate.

Laparoscopic Swedish adjustable gastric banding: a five-year prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding is a popular bariatric operation in Europe. However, the long-term complication rate and weight loss are still unclear. METHODS: 824 patients underwent a laparoscopic Swedish Adjustable Gastric Banding (SAGB) in a 5-year period. Preoperative data, postoperative weight loss and long-term complications were prospectively obtained for analysis. RESULTS: Mean age of the 824 patients was 43 +/- 1 years, with mean preoperative BMI 43 +/- 1 kg/m(2). No intra- or postoperative death occurred in the first 30 postoperative days. Intraoperative conversion rate was 5.2%. Peri-operative complication rate was 1.2%. 97% of the patients were available for follow-up (maximum 5 years). Long-term complications occurred in 191 patients (23.2%). 135 complications (16.4%) were related to the band, and 56 (6.8%) to the access-port or to the tube. Mean excess weight loss was 30, 41, 49, 55 and 57 % after 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 years respectively. 82.9% of the patients obtained >50% EWL after initial treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that laparoscopic SAGB can achieve an effective weight loss, with an acceptable mortality and morbidity rate.