RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The effect of age, gender, and baseline BMI as predictors of weight loss outcome in patients undergoing bariatric surgery is controversial with conflicting results in the surgical literature. Few studies evaluated the effect of age, gender, and baseline BMI on weight loss in patients undergoing the intragastric balloon (IGB). This study aimed to evaluate age and gender and baseline BMI as predictors of weight loss in a group of obese patients who were treated with the IGB. METHODS: We prospectively followed 229 patients who underwent the Orbera IGB in the period between June 2014 and December 2017, performed at one institution. Data were collected for age, gender, baseline weight, and baseline BMI. At 6 months of IGB insertion, the following parameters were documented: % excess weight loss (%EWL), total body weight loss (TBWL), and % total body weight loss (%TBWL). Patients were categorized according to gender and age groups: age less than 40 years and age equal to or more than 50 years (45 patients who were 40-49 years old were excluded). Baseline BMI was grouped into 2 groups: BMI < 35 and BMI > 40. Patients in the BMI range of 35-40 were excluded. Linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the effect of age, gender, and baseline BMI on weight loss. T test was used to compare the means of TBWL, %EWL, and %TBWL between the groups studied. RESULTS: One hundred eighty-four patients (80% female) were enrolled in the study; 135 (106 females and 29 males) younger than 40 years, and 49 (42 females and 7 males) with age equal or more than 50 years. There was a significant effect of age on weight loss in females at 6 months, with more weight loss (as measured by % excess weight loss) in the younger age group compared with patients aged 50 years or more (% excess weight loss was 47.34% and 38%, respectively, p value = 0.04). There was no difference in % excess weight loss in the younger or older male patients (% excess weight loss was 50.21% and 47.05%, respectively, p value = 0.836). Patients of both sexes with lower baseline BMI had a significantly more % excess weight loss compared with the group with the higher baseline BMI (%EWL females/males 53.7%/50.1% and 32.5%/32.2%, respectively, p value <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Female patients younger than 40 years lost greater amount of excess weight than older patients at 6 months after IGB insertion. On the other hand, age did not alter the outcome in male patients. Lower baseline BMI was significantly correlated with greater excess weight loss in both sexes. Age and baseline BMI can be used as predictors of weight loss outcome in patients treated with IGB.