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There is limited evidence for the effectiveness of bariatric surgery in adolescents, and the associated complications. The main objective of the 4XL study was to clarify whether laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LGBP) combined with lifestyle intervention is a safe and effective treatment method.Data were retrieved from an ongoing non-randomised intervention study of adolescents with morbid obesity that is comparing the effects of gastric bypass combined with lifestyle intervention versus lifestyle intervention alone.Altogether 39 patients (64 % girls) treated with a gastric bypass, and 96 patients (57 % girls) treated with lifestyle intervention were examined prior to the start of treatment and one year later. The average age at inclusion (SD) was 16.7 (1.0) years vs. 15.6 (1.3) years, and average BMI was 45.6 (4.4) vs. 43.3 (4.1) kg/m2 in the two groups. Average (95 % CI) percentage weight loss was 30 % (27 %-33 %) after surgery versus weight gain of 1 % (-1 % to 3 %) in the control group. The difference between the groups was 31 % (95 % CI 27 %-34 %, p0.001). Cardiometabolic risk factors improved only after surgery. After gastric bypass, two early (6 weeks) minor complications were recorded. One year after surgery, 4 (10 %), 8 (21 %) and 4 (10 %) of patients had anaemia, iron deficiency or low vitamin B12 levels respectively, and 20 of 33 patients (61 %) had low two-hour blood glucose (2.8 mmol/l) after oral glucose tolerance testing.The results support previous studies showing that gastric bypass is associated with significant weight loss in adolescent patients with morbid obesity. The 4XL study is currently too small and the follow-up time too short to allow the risk of long-term complications to be assessed.

We examined complaints submitted to the Norwegian System of Patient Injury Compensation (NPE) following bariatric surgery, including the background for the complaint, the proportion of patients whose complaints were upheld, and the characteristics of complaints that were upheld.All complaints relating to bariatric surgery performed in the period 2012-18 were reviewed and categorised according to symptoms, findings and events relevant to the outcome of the complaint. Anonymous summaries from the experts' statements were reviewed and categorised according to year of decision, gender, age, basis for compensation or rejection, and whether the intervention was carried out in the public or private health service.Forty-four (26 %) of a total of 171 applications for patient injury compensation were upheld. These applications represented 25 patients who had surgery in the public health service (19 % upheld) and 19 patients who were operated on in the private health service (51 % upheld). The single most common reason for a complaint being upheld (n = 18) was lack of indication for bariatric surgery.More post-bariatric surgery complaints were upheld for lack of indication than for surgical errors. Proper patient selection, good preoperative preparation, good information and shared decision-making are important factors for achieving the best possible bariatric surgery outcome. An interdisciplinary team that monitors patients over time can help ensure the quality of the entire treatment chain.

Lifestyle interventions for children and adolescents with severe obesity show moderate short-term effects on weight reduction internationally. We evaluated treatment results at two Norwegian specialist outpatient clinics.We performed a retrospective analysis of data from children and adolescents between 3 and 18 years of age collected in 2012-2016. Children and adolescents with severe obesity who attended their one-year follow-up were included. We included in the analyses the following body weight measures: percentage overweight as defined by the International Obesity Task Force cut-off (% IOTF-25); BMI standard deviation score; waist circumference standard deviation score; and body fat percentage at the start of treatment and at one-year follow-up.Of 568 children and adolescents who started treatment, 416 (73 %) attended the one-year check-up. A total of 271 (65 %) patients achieved a reduction in %IOTF-25, while 228 patients (55 %) reduced their BMI standard deviation score. There was a statistically significant mean reduction of all four registered body weight measurements. Altogether 54 of 325 children (17 %) changed category from severe obesity to obesity, 8 (2 %) went from severe obesity to overweight, and 8 of 91 children (9 %) changed category from obesity to overweight or normal weight. The proportion of participants with a reduction of more than 5 % in %IOTF-25 was 43 % (177/416), and a reduction in BMI standard deviation score of more than 0.25 was observed in 23 % (95/416) of participants. Girls responded on average more poorly to the intervention than boys. There was no clinically significant difference in results between the treatment centres.After one year of treatment of children and adolescents with severe obesity in two specialist healthcare centres, we found a moderate mean reduction in weight, waist circumference and body fat percentage, but with large interindividual variation.