A 23-year study of mortality and development of co-morbidities in patients with obesity undergoing bariatric surgery (laparoscopic gastric banding) in comparison with medical treatment of obesity

Background and aimSeveral studies have shown that bariatric surgery reduces long term mortality compared to medical weight loss therapy. In a previous study we have demonstrated that gastric banding (LAGB) is associated with reduced mortality in patients with and without diabetes, and with reduced incidence of obesity co-morbidities (cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer) at a 17year follow-up. The aim of this study was to verify at a longer time interval (23years) mortality and incidence of co-morbidities in patients undergoing LAGB or medical weight loss therapy.Patients and methodsAs reported in the previous shorter-time study, medical records of obese patients [body mass index (BMI)>35kg/m(2) undergoing LAGB (n=385; 52 with diabetes) or medical treatment (controls, n=681; 127 with diabetes), during the period 1995-2001 (visit 1)] were collected. Patients were matched for age, sex, BMI, and blood pressure. Identification codes of patients were entered in the Italian National Health System Lumbardy database, that contains life status, causes of death, as well as exemptions, prescriptions, and hospital admissions (proxies of diseases) from visit 1 to June 2018. Survival was compared across LAGB patients and matched controls using Kaplan-Meier plots adjusted Cox regression analyses.ResultsFinal observation period was 19.51.87years (13.4-23.5). Compared to controls, LAGB was associated with reduced mortality [HR=0.52, 95% CI 0.33-0.80, p=0.003], significant in patients with diabetes [HR=0.46, 95% CI 0.22-0.94, p=0.034], borderline significant in patients without diabetes [HR=0.61, 95% CI=0.35-1.05, p=0.076]. LAGB was associated with lower incidence of diabetes (15 vs 75 cases, p=0.001), of CV diseases (61 vs 226 cases, p=0.009), of cancer (10 vs 35, p=0.01), and of renal diseases (0 vs 35, p=0.001), and of hospital admissions (92 vs 377, p=0.001).Conclusion p id=Par4 The preventive effect of LAGB on mortality is maintained up to 23years, even with a decreased efficacy compared with the shorter-time study, while the preventive effect of LAGB on co-morbidities and on hospital admissions increases with time.