Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2025
Sleeve Gastrectomy in Mice using Surgical Clips
Published on: November 14, 2020
Association between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and outcomes after metabolic and bariatric surgery: a
Erik Stenberg1, Henrik Larsson2, Richard Marsk3
1Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
Background:
The risks and benefits of metabolic and bariatric surgery for patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) remain to be investigated.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to assess short- and long-term outcomes after metabolic and bariatric surgery in patients with previous ADHD compared with matched control individuals.
Setting:
Registry based.
Methods:
This 2-staged matched-cohort study included all adults with a body mass index of ≥30 kg/m2 who underwent primary Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy from 2007 until 2017 registered in the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry. Patients with prescribed medication for ADHD were matched with control individuals without ADHD with a follow-up of up to 11 years after surgery.
Results:
Among 1431 patients with ADHD and 2862 control individuals (mean body mass index, 42 kg/m2; mean age, 35 years), no difference in weight loss or follow-up attendance over 2 years was seen. ADHD was associated with a higher risk for early postoperative complications (odds ratio [OR] = 1.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-1.63), self-harm (hazards ratio [HR] = 1.39; 95% CI, 1.11-1.75), and substance abuse (HR = 1.34; 95% CI, 1.16-1.55), while associations with overall mortality (HR = 1.42; 95% CI, .99-2.03), major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (HR = 1.93; 95% CI, .98-3.83), and effects on obesity-related diseases were uncertain. ADHD was associated with a lower health-related quality of life in all aspects before surgery. These differences increased for mental and obesity-related aspects but remained unchanged over time for physical aspects.
Conclusions:
Compared with patients without ADHD, patients treated pharmacologically for ADHD experience similar weight loss and remission of obesity-related diseases without an increased risk for serious complications but report a lower health-related quality of life and have an increased risk of substance abuse and self-harm. This further emphasizes the need for close follow-up care for this group of individuals.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings....
01:23Binge Eating Disorders