Poor glycemic control in bariatric patients: a reason to delay or a reason to proceed?

More than 90% of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) have obesity, and over 85% of diabetic patients who undergo metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) will see improvement or resolution of diabetes. However, diabetes is a known risk factor for surgical complications.

To determine whether poor preoperative glycemic control confers an increased perioperative risk after MBS.

Academic Hospital.

Retrospective review of data from the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP). From the 2017-2018 MBSAQIP databases, we identified patients with diabetes who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or gastric sleeve surgery. Unmatched and propensity-matched univariate analyses, as well as multivariate logistic regressions, were performed to compare 30-day postoperative outcomes and complication rates between patients with poor (glycated hemoglobin [HbA1C] > 7.0) and good (HbA1C ≤ 7.0) glycemic control.

Of 40,132 T2D patients, 19,094 (52.42%) had an HbA1C level ≤ 7.0. Patients with poor glycemic control had slightly higher rates of overall morbidity (6.53% versus 5.49%, respectively; relative risk = 1.188; P < .001). However, in a 1:1 matched analysis of 23,930 patients controlling for body mass index, surgery type, approach, and co-morbidities, the findings of poorer outcomes were largely mitigated. In a multivariate analysis, poor glycemic control was not associated with morbidity.

In T2D patients, poor glycemic control does not independently increase the risk of 30-day morbidity following MBS. Adverse outcomes in the setting of poor glycemic control appear to be largely mediated by associated co-morbidities. Performing MBS in the setting of suboptimal glycemic control may be justified, with the understanding that delaying or refusing surgery can contribute to worsening of diabetes-related co-morbidities that, in turn, may ultimately have a more deleterious effect on outcomes.