Key result
MBS linked to improved glycemic control, reduced CV risk, and longer survival in severe obesity.
Why the study?
The rise of safe and effective weight-loss medications has revolutionized obesity management, necessitating clarification of the role of metabolic and bariatric surgery alongside these novel pharmacological approaches.
This narrative review highlights the evolving role of metabolic and bariatric surgery in contemporary practice, emphasizing the need to integrate surgical approaches with novel pharmacological therapies to optimize patient selection and treatment pathways.
May support MBS alongside new pharmacotherapies in severe obesity; leaves open optimal sequencing and referral patterns.
Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) has long been considered the most effective long-term treatment for severe obesity and its associated comorbidities, including type-2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, and cardiovascular disease. Beyond weight loss, MBS has been associated with improved glycemic and metabolic control, lower apnea burden, reduced risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, and improved overall survival. In the last few years, the use of safe and effective weight-loss medications has revolutionized the management of patients with obesity, and may in the future influence referral patterns for MBS. Future research is therefore warranted to clarify the integration between MBS and these novel pharmacological opportunities, with the aim of optimizing patient selection and therapeutic pathways. The aim of this narrative review is therefore to describe the role of MBS in contemporary clinical practice, considering the evolving landscape of pharmacological approaches to treat patients with obesity.
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Panichella et al. (2025) studied this question. Metabolic and bariatric surgery is associated with improved glycemic control, reduced cardiovascular event risk, and enhanced overall survival in severe obesity patients.
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