Vitamin D Status After Gastric Bypass or Sleeve Gastrectomy over 4 Years of Follow-up

BACKGROUND: Bariatric surgery for severe obesity can lead to micronutrient/vitamin deficiencies. AIMS: To study baseline and post-surgical prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in patients undergoing bariatric surgery. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Patients undergoing bariatric surgery in a university teaching hospital in North West England. METHODS: We performed an observational cohort analysis of longitudinal data on vitamin D and related parameters in patients who underwent bariatric surgery. Patients were routinely recommended daily combined calcium and vitamin D supplementation post-surgery. RESULTS: ; 292 (63.5%) underwent gastric bypass and 168 (36.5%) sleeve gastrectomy. Vitamin D level was 33.1 (23.9) nmol/L at baseline, rising to 57.1 (23.1) nmol/L at 12 months post-surgery. Whereas 43.2% had vitamin D deficiency and 34.7% insufficiency preoperatively, 8.9% and 26.7% had deficiency and insufficiency, respectively, at 12 months with similar trends up to 4 years of follow-up. There were no significant differences between procedures or sexes in vitamin D levels or sufficiency rates. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency were prevalent pre-surgery and reduced significantly with routine supplementation post-surgery.