Patient Characteristics Associated with a Successful Weight Loss after Bariatric Surgery

Purpose: We aimed at identifying patient characteristics associated with successful outcomes of bariatric surgery. Methods: From January 25, 2007, to January 30, 2008, we consecutively enrolled patients referred to a Copenhagen hospital for bariatric surgery. We used the Health Related Quality of Life Questionnaire of the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36) and the Moorehead-Ardelt Quality of Life Questionnaire II (M-A QolQII). A successful outcome was defined as ≥50% excess weight loss (EWL) at 12 months after surgery. Data were collected at baseline and 6 and 12 months after surgery. Results: We enrolled 100 of 101 eligible patients, of which 89 had a gastric bypass operation. As only 11 patients had a gastric banding, we refrained from analysis of characteristics associated with weight loss in these patients. One year after surgery, 76 patients (87%) had achieved a successful weight loss. The mean EWL was 64%, ranging from 30% to 113%. Lower baseline values of Body Mass Index (BMI), percentage of excess weight, and role-emotional domain in SF-36 and M-A QolQII scores were associated with a successful weight loss at 12 months follow-up. Conclusions: A successful outcome was associated with being in the lowest range of obesity and having the lowest baseline values of quality of life (QoL). A longer follow-up than 12 months is probably needed to show if patients with higher BMI and better QoL need more time to achieve a successful outcome or whether these measures are associated with excess risk of failure.