Analysis of correlation between BMI and TWL% outcome following metabolic and bariatric surgery: a retrospective study...

This study aimed to examine the correlation between preoperative body mass index (BMI) and adequate percentage of total weight loss (TWL%) outcome and present evidence of tiered treatment for patients with obesity in different preoperative BMI.

We included patients with complete follow-up data who underwent metabolic and bariatric surgery (BMS). We termed optimal clinical response as TWL% >20% at one year following MBS. To investigate dose-response association between preoperative BMI and optimal clinical response, preoperative BMI was analyzed in three ways: (1) as quartiles; (2) per 2.5 kg/m2 units (3) using RCS, with 3 knots as recommended.

A total of 291 patients with obesity were included in our study. The corresponding quartile odds ratios associated with optimal clinical response and adjusted for potential confounders were 1.00 (reference), 1.434 [95% confidence interval (95%CI)   =  0.589-3.495], 4.926 (95%CI   =  1.538-15.772), and 2.084 (95%CI   =  0.941-1.005), respectively. RCS analysis showed a non-linear inverted U-shaped association between preoperative BMI and optimal clinical response (Nonlinear P   =  0.009). In spline analysis, when preoperative BMI was no less than 42.9 kg/m², the possibility of optimal clinical response raised as preoperative BMI increased. When preoperative BMI was greater than 42.9 kg/m², the possibility of optimal clinical response had a tendency to decline as preoperative BMI increased.

Our research indicated the non-linear inverted U-shaped correlation between preoperative BMI and adequate weight loss. Setting a preoperative BMI threshold of 42.9 is critical to predicting optimal clinical outcomes.