Background

Pre-op weight loss is an important marker of patients' adherence to the bariatric program and is assumed to be a predictor of post-op success however there is conflicting data in the literature regarding this.

Methods

A retrospective, single-center cohort study was performed from 2015-2019. Patients who underwent SG or GBP with a minimum follow-up of 2 years were included in the study. Baseline demographic data was obtained and was assessed for association with surgical outcomes. Excess BMI loss (EBMIL) at 2 years was calculated and patients with an EBMIL > 75% at 2 years were considered as high weight loss category and patients with < 50% EBMIL at 2 years were considered as low weight loss category patients.

Results

115 patients were evaluated during the study period. Baseline demographic data are shown in Table 1. Age, Sex, Diabetes Status, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and Pre-op Creatinine were not significant predictors of post-op weight loss. Index BMI - Weight at the time of surgery was the only factor associated with better surgical outcomes. Though pre-op weight loss did not correlate with post-op outcomes, patients with higher weight loss had higher odds of having better weight loss after surgery. (Figure 1)

Conclusions

Higher pre-op weight loss from non-surgical interventions does correlate with better surgical outcomes but is not statistically significant moreover remaining weight neutral or minor weight gains with non-surgical interventions has no correlation with surgical outcome.