Tag Archives: bariatric surgery

Brief Updates: H pylori Resistance Rates, VEDOKIDS, Increasing Bariatric Surgery in Kids

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F Megraud et al. AJG 2022; doi: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000002045 Open Access: Rates of Antimicrobial Resistance in Helicobacter pylori Isolates From Clinical Trial Patients Across the US and Europe. Resistance rates were established in isolates from 907 participants. Overall, 22.2% were resistant to clarithromycin, 1.2% to amoxicillin, and 69.2% to metronidazole.

O Atia et al. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022; DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-1253(22)00307-7. Outcomes, dosing, and predictors of vedolizumab treatment in children with inflammatory bowel disease (VEDOKIDS): a prospective, multicentre cohort study

Methods: VEDOKIDS was a paediatric, multicentre, prospective cohort study done in 17 centres in six countries. We report the 14-week outcomes as the first analyses of the planned 3-year follow-up of the VEDOKIDS cohort

Key findings:

  • 32 (42%) of 77 children with ulcerative colitis and 21 (32%) of 65 children with Crohn’s disease were in steroid-free and exclusive enteral nutrition-free remission at 14 weeks.
  •  In children who weighed less than 30 kg, the optimal drug concentration associated with steroid-free and exclusive enteral nutrition-free clinical remission was 7 μg/mL at week 14, corresponding to a dose of 200 mg/m2 body surface area or 10 mg/kg

USAToday 11/14/22: More teens are getting weight loss surgery but some experts think more needs to be done

And of course, an important story from The Onion: Arsonist Worried He Forgot To Turn Stove On Before Leaving House

Disclaimer: This blog, gutsandgrowth, assumes no responsibility for any use or operation of any method, product, instruction, concept or idea contained in the material herein or for any injury or damage to persons or property (whether products liability, negligence or otherwise) resulting from such use or operation. These blog posts are for educational purposes only. Specific dosing of medications (along with potential adverse effects) should be confirmed by prescribing physician.  Because of rapid advances in the medical sciences, the gutsandgrowth blog cautions that independent verification should be made of diagnosis and drug dosages. The reader is solely responsible for the conduct of any suggested test or procedure.  This content is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified healthcare provider. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a condition.

Bariatric Surgery Outcomes in Adolescents

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F Qureshi et al. JPGN 2021; 73: 677-683. Longitudinal Outcomes in Adolescents After Referral for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery

Key findings (study period 2015-2020):

  • Only 22% underwent bariatric surgery (Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG)), mainly due to lack of interest in those referred
  • Reasons for NoLSG: 171 (62% of the NoLSG group) did not return for a 2nd visit, 28 (10%) were considered non-adherent to clinical recommendations, 14 (6%) had insurance denials, 16 (6%) had psychological contraindications including recent suicidal ideations, and 29 (11%) are still considering/pursuing LSG
  • Only 8 (2.3%) of entire cohort were self-pay
  •  LSG patients had 21% total weight loss and 22% total BMI loss at 24 months whereas NoLSG patients had 4% total weight gain and 3% BMI gain (P < 0.01)
  • LSG group had improvement in obesity-associated conditions compared to group without surgery (P < 0.01)
  • Follow-up in both groups was poor (40% for LSG group and <20% for the NoLSG group) 1 year after bariatric referral. This is of particular interest in the LSG group b/c for surgery, patients are required to agree to a 5 year f/u period (though this lacks an enforcement mechanism). The authors note some improvement in f/u coincident with recent broader adoption of telemedine

My take: This single-center found that most patients referred for consideration of bariatric surgery did not have this surgery.

 Related blog posts:

Bariatric Surgery Helps NASH

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G Lassailly et al. Gastroenterol 2020; 159: 1290-1301. Bariatric Surgery Provides Long-term Resolution of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis and Regression of Fibrosis

This was a  prospective study of 180 severely obese patients with biopsy-proven NASH.

Key findings:

  • NASH: At 5 years after bariatric surgery, NASH was resolved, without worsening fibrosis, in samples from 84% of patients (n = 64; 95% confidence interval, 73.1%-92.2%). 
  • Fibrosis: Fibrosis decreased, compared with baseline, in samples from 70.2% of patients (95% CI, 56.6%-81.6%). Fibrosis disappeared from samples from 56% of all patients (95% CI, 42.4%-69.3%) and from samples from 45.5% of patients with baseline bridging fibrosis. 
Graphic Abstract

My take: This study showed that patients with NASH who underwent bariatric surgery had resolution of NASH in liver samples from 84% of patients 5 years later. The reduction of fibrosis was progressive, beginning during the first year and continuing through 5 years.

. Related blog posts:

Bariatric Surgery Reduced Obesity’s Premature Death from 8 years to 5 years in SOS Study

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A recent study (LMS Carlsson et al. NEJM 2020; 383: 1535-43) was summarized in a quick take. Essentially, obese subjects who underwent bariatric surgery survived three years longer than a control group who had not undergone surgery but lived 5 years shorter than a reference group without obesity.

The authors speculate on the reasons why the bariatric subjects continued to have a lower life expectancy than controls after surgery:

  • Above-normal BMI even after surgery
  • Irreversible effects of obesity-related metabolic dysfunction
  • Surgical complications
  • Higher risk of alcohol abuse, suicide, and trauma (including fall-related); these factors were identified in the SOS study more often than in those who had not undergone bariatric surgery

Since there have been improvements in bariatric surgery since the time of this cohort underwent surgery (1987-2001), it is possible that the average gain in life expectancy would be greater.

Here are a few screenshots:

Trick or Tweets?

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Rock art
This tweet was posted on 10/21/20
Ful Text Link: COVID-19 Mortality Risk in Down Syndrome: Results From a Cohort Study Of 8 Million Adults
15 min video Link: How America Helped Defeat the Coronavirus* (not in U.S.). an excerpt: We’ve all heard how U.S. leadership failed its citizens with its pandemic response. We had the playbooks, we had the money, we had the experts. We just … didn’t use them. But it turns out, other countries did. Because U.S. public health leaders and scientists have been planning for a catastrophe just like Covid-19 for decades, and, in typical American fashion, we didn’t just write the pandemic playbook — we exported it around the world.

Online Aspen Webinar (Part 2) -Abnormal Liver Enzymes in a Tween

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What Do Abnormal Liver Enzymes Mean in a Tween William Balistreri

Below I’ve included a few slides and some notes; my notes may have errors of omission or transcription.

Key Points:

  • Provided updated normal reference data for ALT/AST along with patterns of abnormalities
  • Reviewed step-wise workup for teenagers with elevated ALT/AST, particularly fatty liver disease and drug-induced liver disease
  • Increasingly frequent cause of fatty liver disease: psychotropic medications
  • Discussed role/indications of liver biopsy. Liver biopsy is NOT practical option for all children with fatty liver disease and elevated liver enzymes
  • However, ALT values tend to underestimate severity of liver disease

 

 

Nutritional Risks in Adolescents After Bariatric Surgery; Prevention of Childhood Obesity; Convalescent Serum for COVID-19

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S Xanthakos et al. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2020; 18: 1070-81. Full Text: Nutritional Risks in Adolescents After Bariatric Surgery

This was a multicenter prospective cohort study with 226 adolescents (mean age 16.5 years, mean BMI of 52.7) who had either Roux-en-Y bypass (RYGB, n=161) or vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG, n=67).

Key findings:

  • At 5 years, 59% of RYGB and 27% of VSG had ≥2 nutritional deficiencies
  • The most prevalent abnormality we observed was hypoferritinemia, which affected nearly twice as many RYGB recipients by Year 5 compared with VSG.
  • Vitamin B12 status likewise worsened disproportionately after RYGB, despite similar trajectories of weight loss after VSG
  • Image below shows the prevalence of abnormal values for vitamins over time

My take: This study shows that adolescents undergoing VSG had fewer nutritional deficiencies than RYGB and provides data supporting nutritional monitoring after bariatric surgery.

B Koletzko et al. JPGN 2020 70: 702-10. Full Text: Prevention of Childhood Obesity: A Position Paper of the Global Federation of International Societies of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (FISPGHAN)

Related blog posts (Bariatric Surgery):

Related blog posts (Obesity):

 

AAP Bariatric Surgery Recommendations

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A recent policy statement (SC Armstrong et al. Pediatrics 2019; 144 (6): e20193223) outlines current evidence regarding adolescent bariatric surgery and makes recommendations for practitioners & policymakers.  There is also an accompanying technical report which provides more detail and supporting evidence.  Thanks to Ben Gold for this reference.

Full PDF Link: Pediatric Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery: Evidence, Barriers, and Best Practices

This policy statement uses “adolescent” to refer to a person from age 13 years to age 18 years.

Background: “Although nearly 4.5 million US adolescents have severe obesity, current estimates suggest that only a small faction undergo metabolic and bariatric surgery…Many providers prefer a “watchful waiting” approach, or long-term lifestyle management.50 However, current evidence suggests that pediatric patients with severe obesity are unlikely to achieve a clinically significant and sustained weight reduction in lifestyle-based weight management programs53 and that watchful waiting may lead to higher BMI and more comorbid conditions…In addition, comparative data examining
postoperative outcomes along the severely obese BMI spectrum (low, middle, and high) suggest that adolescents within a lower BMI range (BMI <55) at the time of bariatric
surgery have a higher probability of achieving nonobese status when compared with individuals with a higher starting BMI (BMI ≥55).”

From Table 2 -Indications for Bariatric Surgery:

  1. Class 2 obesity, BMI ≥35, or 120% of the 95th percentile for age and sex, whichever is lower  along with clinically significant disease, including obstructive sleep apnea (AHI .5), T2DM, IIH, NASH, Blount disease, SCFE, GERD, and hypertension
  2. Class 3 obesity, BMI ≥40, or 140% of the 95th percentile for age and sex, whichever is lower. Clinically significant disease is not required but commonly present

Recommendations for practitioners:

  • Seek high-quality multidisciplinary centers that are experienced in assessing risks and benefits of various treatments for youth with severe obesity, including bariatric surgery, and provide referrals to where such programs are available.
  • Identify pediatric patients with severe obesity who meet criteria for surgery and provide
    timely referrals to comprehensive, multidisciplinary, pediatric-focused metabolic and bariatric surgery programs.
  • Monitor patients postoperatively for micronutrient deficiencies and consider providing iron, folate, and vitamin B12 supplementation as needed.
  • Monitor patients postoperatively for risk-taking behavior and mental health problems.

SYSTEM-LEVEL RECOMMENDATIONS:

  • Advocate for increased access for pediatric patients of all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds to multidisciplinary programs
  • Consider best practice guidelines, including avoidance of unsubstantiated lower age limits, in the context of potential health care benefits and individualized patient-centered care.
  • For insurers: Provide payment for care (pre-operative, operative & post-operative). Reduce barriers to pediatric metabolic and bariatric surgery (including inadequate payment, limited access, unsubstantiated exclusion criteria, and bureaucratic
    delays in approval requiring unnecessary and often numerous appeals) for patients who meet careful selection criteria.

My take: These recommendations are in general agreement with previous guidelines.  I think having the stamp of approval from the AAP is likely to help in getting coverage and may shift attitudes.

Related blog posts:

Bariatric Surgery Survival – 5 Countries, 500,000 Participants

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A recent population-based cohort study (JH Kauppila et al. Gastroenterol 2019; 157: 19-27) examined the effects of bariatric surgery on survival from Nordic countries between 1980-2012.

Link: Effects of Obesity Surgery on Overall and Disease-Specific Mortality in a 5-Country Population-Based Study

Among 505,258 obese individuals, 49,977 had bariatric surgery.

Key findings:

  • Overall mortality rates were lower in the surgery group during the first 14 years but higher after 15 years (HR 1.20 with CI 1.02-1.42).  Thus, overall, obese patients who underwent bariatric surgery had longer survival times than obese patients who did not have surgery.  Both groups had higher mortality than the general population
  • The improved survival compared to those without surgery was related to decreased mortality from cardiovascular mortality, diabetes and cancer.  However mortality due to suicide was increased.
  • Limitations: lack of detailed data including BMI, smoking and alcohol consumption

Graphical abstract (available online)

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Comparing Gastric Bypass Outcomes in Adolescents and Adults

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Studies have shown that adults with obesity who were obese as adolescents have worse medical outcomes than persons who became obese in adulthood (Nat Rev Endocrinol 2018; 14: 183-8; NEJM 2011; 365; 1876-85). Thus, the question is whether earlier intervention would improve outcomes.

A recent study (TH Inge et al. NEJM 2019; 380: 2136-45, editorial TD Adams, pgs 2175-7) compares the 5-year outcomes of adolescents (n=161) and adults (n=396) who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). The two prospectively enrolled cohorts were participants in two related but independent studies.

Key findings:

  • There was similar weight loss in both groups at the 5-year mark: -26% in adolescents and -29% in adults
  • Adolescents had greater remission in both type 2 diabetes (86% vs 53%) and in hypertension (68% and 41%).
  • Three adolescents (1.9%) and seven adults (1.8%) died in the 5-years after surgery.  Two of the adolescents deaths were consistent with overdose.
  • Reoperations were significantly higher in adolescents than adults (19 vs 10 reoperations per 500 person years). The authors comment that the reason for this finding is unclear, possibly related to recall bias or closer monitoring of the adolescents.
  • Nutrient deficiencies were common in adolescents at followup. After 2 years, 48% of adolescents had low ferritin compared with 29% of adults (98% of participants had normal ferritin prior to RYGB. The authors note that  this is likely related to adherence to vitamin/mineral supplementation (which is needed lifelong).

Limitations: observational study design

The associated commentary::

  • “Almost 6% of adolescents in the U.S. are severely obese and  bariatric surgery is now the only successful long-term management…Negative health outcomes of bariatric surgery reported in adolescents mirror those reported in adults — including, for example, potential for self-harm (including suicide) and increased risk of alcohol or drug abuse.”
  • “Adolescent patients may not have fully developed the capacity for decision making, especially about a procedure that will have lifetime consequences.”

My take: This study and commentary point out some clear health benefits for adolescents who undergo RYGB. Given the lifelong need for monitoring and adherence with medical treatment as well as some of the negative health outcomes, it is also clear how challenging it is to proceed with RYGB in teenage years.

Related blog posts:

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