Outcomes of sleeve gastrectomy in patients older than 60 years: a multicenter matched case-control study

The prevalence of obesity is increasing according to the World Health Organization. Furthermore, global aging is increasing, especially in developed countries in Europe. Whether bariatric surgery should be performed in elderly people is still controversial.

To determine the clinical outcomes of sleeve gastrectomies (SG) in older central European patients. We compared the safety and efficacy of SG in patients older than 60 years with younger patients.

Eighty-nine patients older than 60 years, who underwent SG, were included in the study. Eighty-nine younger patients (aged 18-40 years) were matched according to body mass index (BMI) and comorbidities. The analyzed data included age, sex, total body weight, BMI, length of hospital stay, 30-day complications and improvement in comorbidities.

There was no significant difference in the complication rate between the 2 age groups (p = 0.59). An improvement in hypertension was observed in 73.1% of older patients and in 69.2% of younger patients (p = 0.67). There was improvement in diabetes mellitus in 40% of older patients and in 31.1% of younger patients (p = 0.25). The ΔBMI after 12, 24 and 36 months was significantly lower in older patients than in younger patients (p = 0.002, p = 0.001; p = 0.043, respectively). Percent excess BMI loss (%EBMIL) after 12, 24, and 60 months was significantly lower in older than in younger patients (p = 0.001, p = 0.001, p = 0.028, respectively).

Better weight loss is achieved in younger than in older patients, while maintaining a similar effect on the risk of complications and improvement in comorbidities. Therefore, SG is safe and effective in older people.