Effect of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy on metabolic and nutritional changes at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Saudi Arabia

Introduction: Bariatric surgery has been shown to be the most effective way to treat obesity. The outcome of weight-loss surgeries primarily focuses on reducing weight, and improving comorbidities and quality of life of patients. Postoperative nutritional deficiencies are well known complications of sleeve gastrectomy. Deficiencies of protein, iron, and vitamins B12 and D are often reported and may occur despite supplementation. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy on metabolic and nutritional changes among obese patients at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods and Subjects: This is a retrospective review of patients who underwent sleeve gastrectomy surgery between January 2013 and January 2016 at KAUH, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Perioperative characteristics, biochemical profile [glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), calcium, parathyroid (PTH), albumin, B12, lipid, and iron profile], and details on subsequent weight loss in terms of body mass index (BMI) and weight loss (kg) of the patients were obtained. Results: Sixty-six patients were included in the study. Forty-two (63.4%) were female with a mean age of 35.1 ± 10.3 years. Our results demonstrated a significant statistical reduction in weight and BMI with improvement in HbA1c, high-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein, and decrease in cholesterol level. On the contrary, other metabolic elements such as ferritin and vitamin B12 showed a significant decrease, whereas calcium, PTH hormone, and albumin showed no change. Conclusion: This study showed that sleeve gastrectomy had significant improvements of some biochemical markers in addition to reduction in weight and BMI.