Changes in Health-Related Quality of Life After Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery: A Prospective Single-Center Cohort...

Obesity impairs health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL). Substantial weight loss following metabolic and bariatric surgery improves HRQoL, but there is a need for larger long-term studies. This study aimed to examine changes in HRQoL at 2 and 5 years, comparing outcomes between Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG), and to evaluate associations with pre-operative patient characteristics.

HRQoL was assessed using the Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire before surgery and at 2- and 5-year follow-up. Physical and Mental Component Scores (PCS and MCS) were calculated, and associations between baseline characteristics and changes in HRQoL were analyzed.

Of 2031 patients, 1285 completed at least one postoperative SF-36. PCS improved significantly at 2 years (mean 9.4, 95% CI 8.7-10.0) and was maintained at 5 years. MCS showed an improvement at 2 years (1.5, 95% CI 0.8-2.2) but not at 5 years. No major differences were found between RYGB and SG, except for lower MCS at 5 years in SG patients (5.2, p = 0.009). Preoperative type 2 diabetes and osteoarthritis were associated with improved HRQoL, whereas psychiatric and gastrointestinal disorders predicted poorer results.

Metabolic and bariatric surgery leads to sustained improvements in physical HRQoL, but the response is influenced by preoperative comorbidity.