Quality of life assessment before and after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: a prospective study

Obesity has a negative effect on the quality of life (QoL), and therefore, the goal of bariatric surgery is not only to decrease excess weight but also to improve QoL and obesity-related comorbidities. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) has become the most commonly applied bariatric procedure worldwide, although there is a lack of prospective data on QoL in patients undergoing this procedure. Therefore, this prospective study aimed to compare QoL of obese patients before, and one year after LSG, and also to analyze the weight loss process and resolution of obesity-related comorbidities.

Patients undergoing LSG between January 2019 and December 2019 were included. They completed the Bariatric Quality of Life index (BQL) before surgery and one year after. Anthropometric data and obesity-related comorbidities were recorded.

Thirty-eight patients were included in the study. The mean age was 37.9 ± 11.2 years, and the majority were women (68.4%). One year after the surgery, the mean body mass index (BMI) decreased from 45.5 ± 8.2 kg/m2 to 29.3 ± 6.1 kg/m2 (p<0.0001), and the mean percentage excess weight loss (%EWL) was 85.1 ± 22.3%. The preoperative total score of BQL was 46.05 ± 7.01 points and postoperatively it increased to 66.52 ± 5.53 points (p<0.0001). BQL total score and %EWL was positively and significantly correlated (r=0.479, p=0.002). Postoperatively, all obesity-related comorbidities were improved, although de novo gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) appeared in 7.8% of the cases.

LSG improves QoL and allows resolution of obesity-related comorbidities, but a small proportion of patients may develop troublesome GERD postoperatively.