Which criteria should be used to define type 2 diabetes remission after bariatric surgery?

BACKGROUND: Comparison of diabetes remission rates after bariatric surgery using two different models of criteria. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of data from 110 patients with type 2 diabetes and morbid obesity who underwent bariatric surgery, preoperatively and at 18-month follow-up. Comparison of two models of remission: 1) 2009 consensus statement criteria; 2) simple criteria using ADA's HbA1c diabetes diagnostic cut-off values. RESULTS: Patients' mean ± SD preoperative characteristics were: age 53.3 ± 9.5 years, BMI 43.6 ± 5.5 kg/m(2), HbA1c 7.9 ± 1.8%, duration of diabetes 7.6 ± 7.5 years. 44.5% of patients with previous insulin therapy. With 2009 consensus statement criteria: complete, partial and no remission in 50%, 12.7% and 37.3%, respectively; with HbA1c criteria: 50%, 15% and 34.5% in the analogous categories (p=0.673). CONCLUSIONS: We suggest a simpler approach to evaluate diabetes remission after bariatric surgery, following the rationale of the definition of diabetes itself.