UNLABELLED: Morbid obesity defined as BMI > or = 40 kg/m2 is associated with serious co-morbidities e.g. hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, respiratory insufficiency, sleep apnea syndrome, estrogen-dependent tumors, and degenerative arthritis. Moreover, general results of lifestyle intervention and/or drug therapy in these patients are less than satisfactory. It is widely believed that obesity surgery including gastric by-pass has proved to be an effective method of achieving maintained body weight reduction. The aim of this study was to investigate change in body weight, prevalence of co-morbidities, and quality of life after Roux-en-Y gastric by-pass surgery. 56 patients who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in 1999-2001 were asked to answer a 42-question-questionnaire. RESULTS: Complete answers were received from 36 subjects (mean (+/- SD) age 39 +/- 10 years, body weight 127.5 +/- 20.4 kg, BMI 4.40 +/- 5.6 kg/m2). Mean post-surgery follow-up time was 24 months. All patients reported significant weight loss (35.8 +/- 10.7 kg). A statistically significant decrease in prevalence of hypertension and various symptoms associated with cardiovascular disease, respiratory insufficiency, sleep apnea syndrome were noted as well as a significant improvement in quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: In morbidly obese patients Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is an effective and long-term well tolerated method of achieving stable weight reduction, leading to improvement in co-morbidities and quality of life.
UNLABELLED: Morbid obesity defined as BMI > or = 40 kg/m2 is associated with serious co-morbidities e.g. hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, respiratory insufficiency, sleep apnea syndrome, estrogen-dependent tumors, and degenerative arthritis. Moreover, general results of lifestyle intervention and/or drug therapy in these patients are less than satisfactory. It is widely believed that obesity surgery including gastric by-pass has proved to be an effective method of achieving maintained body weight reduction. The aim of this study was to investigate change in body weight, prevalence of co-morbidities, and quality of life after Roux-en-Y gastric by-pass surgery. 56 patients who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in 1999-2001 were asked to answer a 42-question-questionnaire. RESULTS: Complete answers were received from 36 subjects (mean (+/- SD) age 39 +/- 10 years, body weight 127.5 +/- 20.4 kg, BMI 4.40 +/- 5.6 kg/m2). Mean post-surgery follow-up time was 24 months. All patients reported significant weight loss (35.8 +/- 10.7 kg). A statistically significant decrease in prevalence of hypertension and various symptoms associated with cardiovascular disease, respiratory insufficiency, sleep apnea syndrome were noted as well as a significant improvement in quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: In morbidly obesepatients Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is an effective and long-term well tolerated method of achieving stable weight reduction, leading to improvement in co-morbidities and quality of life.