Background: To provide greater insight into bariatric surgery outcomes in aging patients, we compared changes in body weight, body composition, obesity-related comorbidities, and nutritional status between older and younger subjects.
Methods: We analyzed data collected between January 2004 and December 2014 from our prospective bariatric cohort. Older patients (OP, ≥ 60 years at the time of surgery, n = 93; 66% Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, 34% sleeve gastrectomy) were compared with younger patients (YP, < 60 years, n = 186), matched 1:2 on sex, body mass index, diabetes, and surgical procedure. Body composition was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.
Results: Weight loss and excess weight loss at 12 months were lower in OP vs. YP (mean ± SD, 30.1 ± 10.1 vs. 34.1 ± 11.9 kg, 60.6 ± 21.2 vs. 66.8 ± 23.4%, respectively, p < 0.05 for both). Both lean body mass and fat mass loss were lower in OP vs. YP (8.4 ± 3.4 vs. 9.2 ± 9.0 kg, 19.4 ± 8.7 vs. 21.9 ± 9.1 kg, respectively, p < 0.05). The remission rate for type 2 diabetes was significantly lower in OP vs. YP (24 vs. 45%), as well as improvement in hypertension (14 vs. 46%), dyslipidemia (27 vs. 47%), and knee pain. There was no difference in micronutrient deficiencies between groups.
Conclusions: These data indicate that although bariatric surgery is not as effective for weight loss in older as in younger subjects, it is a safe option regarding a comprehensive set of nutritional variables which enables significant improvement in obesity-related outcomes.
Keywords: Bariatric surgery; Body composition; Comorbidities; Elderly; Obesity.