BODY-Q eating-related symptoms following sleeve gastrectomy

Recent data describing gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms experienced by patients after bariatric surgery is lacking, and previous studies in sleeve gastrectomy patients have been limited in scope of follow-up time or extent of GI symptoms examined. We sought to characterize the prevalence and time course of patient-reported eating-related symptoms in sleeve gastrectomy patients.

From July 2020 to July 2021, sleeve gastrectomy patients seen at three Boston area hospitals received electronic surveys and prospectively reported GI symptoms using the BODY-Q eating-related symptoms scale. Descriptive analyses were performed for patient demographics and symptom prevalence. Chi-square tests were used to compare prevalence of eating-related symptoms between follow-up time intervals.

491 sleeve gastrectomy patients completed postoperative surveys with mean follow-up time of 1.9 years. Mean age was 46.6 years, and 81.3% were female. The most reported GI symptoms overall included constipation (56.6%), bloating (54.0%), heartburn when standing (41.5%), and heartburn when lying down (39.9%) while the least commonly reported symptoms were palpitations (16.3%), low blood sugar (15.7%), and emesis (15.1%). At greater than 12 months, the most reported symptoms similarly included bloating (60.3%), constipation (53.2%), and heartburn while standing (46.0%). When comparing prevalence of eating-related symptoms across follow-up time intervals from < 1 to > 12 months, patients reported a significant decrease in constipation, abdominal pain, and nausea over time (p = 0.012, p < .0001, p = 0.03, respectively).

Patients experience both upper and lower GI symptoms following sleeve gastrectomy, and symptoms, including bloating, constipation, and heartburn may persist through long-term follow-up. These patient-centered measures add value by guiding preoperative counseling, informing postoperative expectations, and providing real-time clinical feedback for bariatric surgery patients.