Systematic review and retrospective validation of prediction models for weight loss after bariatric surgery

Patients often have less than realistic expectations of the weight loss they are likely to achieve after bariatric surgery. It would be useful to have a well-validated prediction tool that could give patients a realistic estimate of their expected weight loss.

To perform a systematic review of the literature to identify existing prediction models and attempt to validate these models.

University hospital, United Kingdom.

A systematic review was performed. All English language studies were included if they used data to create a prediction model for postoperative weight loss after bariatric surgery. These models were then tested on patients undergoing bariatric surgery between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2014 within our unit.

An initial literature search produced 446 results, of which only 4 were included in the final review. Our study population included 317 patients. Mean preoperative body mass index was 46.1 ± 7.1. For 257 (81.1%) patients, 12-month follow-up was available, and mean body mass index and percentage excess weight loss at 12 months was 33.0 ± 6.7 and 66.1% ± 23.7%, respectively. All 4 of the prediction models significantly overestimated the amount of weight loss achieved by patients. The best performing prediction model in our series produced a correlation coefficient (R²) of .61 and an area under the curve of .71 on receiver operating curve analysis.

All prediction models overestimated weight loss after bariatric surgery in our cohort. There is a need to develop better procedures and patient-specific models for better patient counselling.