Micronutrient status assessment in Saudi patients prior to laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: a retrospective study

ABSTRACT

The prevalence of obesity is rapidly increasing world wide, and bariatric surgery has emerged as an effective treatment option, leading to significant sustained weight loss in morbidly obese patients. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) has rapidly gained popularity and currently accounts for most bariatric surgeries performed in Saudi Arabia. This procedure can result in harmful postoperative nutritional deficiencies postoperatively. Despite an enormous body of research on the outcomes of bariatric surgery in Saudi Arabia, there is apaucity of published articles on preoperative nutrient deficiencies in this region. This study aimed to investigate demographic trends and characteristics of Saudi patients under going LSG in different regions of the country. We retrospectively analyzed 285 patients who under went LSG between 2016 and 2021 at a tertiary care center. The mean patient age was 46 years, and the mean preoperative BMI was 36.50 kg/m2.Females comprised more than two-thirds of the patients(69%). Among the pre-operative blood parameters, hemoglobin and vitamin B1 deficiency were noticeable in both sexes. This predictive analysis could assist surgeons in identifying common deficiencies and expected post-surgical micronutrient deficiencies relevant to undesirable complications (AU)