Endocrine Abstracts

Objectives: To analyse the levels of anxiety, depression, impulsiveness, bulimic behaviour, concern about body image and the quality of life of patients included in the care process following bariatric surgery, in our field.

Methods: Observational study of the patients included in the care process for bariatric surgery at University Hospital Puerta del Mar. Two cohorts were identified according to their situation before or after surgery. Studies were made of variable antropometrics, clinics, personality traits and quality of life. The instruments used were: Anxiety inventories (BAI) and Depression (Beck); Body Sharp Questionnaire (BQ21); BULIT-R test of bulimic behaviour, impulsiveness (BIS) and SF12 questionnaire on quality of life.

Results and conclusions: A total of 198 patients were studied, women constituted 69.2% of the subjects; the average age was 45 without differences in the cohorts before/after 12 months; the BMI in patients before surgery was 48 (S.D. 7) and in patients post surgery, 34 (S.D. 6). The patients on waiting lists presented higher levels of concern with regard to their body image (BQ21: 65), bulimic behaviour (BULIT: 62) and depression (BECK: 15). The SF12 reflected good mental health but scored lower on points for physical health. The levels of impulsiveness were not high (BIS: 53), so no patient reached the cut off point (104). The cohort of post-surgery patients presented high levels of concern about body image (BQ21: 65) and anxiety (BAI: 34). Impulsiveness was moderate (BIS: 58). It was noted that the proportion of patients with extreme concern about their body image (BQ21 > 105) was higher in patients who had already undergone surgery (12.5 vs 6.5%). Attending to the depressive state of patients (BECK) prior to surgery required professional care for 35.9% for the morbidly obese, against 16.7% of post-surgery patients; severe depression was detected in 11.7% and 4.8% of patients respectively.