Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Post-bariatric surgery satisfaction relies on psychosocial and clinical factors. A questionnaire that evaluates this variable has recently been created and validated by the authors (Post-Bariatric Surgery Satisfaction Questionnaire).

Objective: To assess the relationship between treatment satisfaction and several demographic and clinical variables.

Methods: Patients submitted to bariatric surgery who presented to our Obesity Outpatient Clinic between June 2013 and December 2013 were asked to complete the Post-Bariatric Surgery Satisfaction Questionnaire (22 items, five-point scale – 1, very dissatisfied and 5, very satisfied). Demographic and clinical data were also collected.

Results: A total of 86 patients were included (67% submitted to laparoscopic gastric bypass and 33% to adjustable gastric banding): 86% females, median age 50 years (min–max=23–73), median follow-up time since surgery 37 months (min–max=1–220). Age, adjusted to percentage of excess BMI lost, was negatively correlated with ‘physical well-being’ (r=−0.27; P=0.012) and with ‘enhancement of movement capabilities’ (r=−0.25; P=0.019), but not with global satisfaction. There was no correlation between the degree of satisfaction and the follow-up time since surgery, nor differences between genders. There was a positive correlation between percentage of excess BMI lost and 15 of the items (r=0.21–0.54; P<0.001–0.047) and with global satisfaction (r=0.45, P<0.001). Patients submitted to adjustable gastric banding were less satisfied globally (P=0.007) and in seven of the items. Results from the linear regression analysis indicate that the percentage of excess BMI lost and the type of surgery explain 29% of the variance in patients’ global satisfaction. Both variables were statistically significant, with percentage of excess BMI lost recording a higher β value (0.45 and 0.20 respectively).

Conclusion: The percentage of excess BMI lost, the type of surgery, and patient’s age influenced post-bariatric surgery satisfaction. However, these only partially explain treatment satisfaction. Other factors, namely psychosocial, are probably also involved.