Anxiety, depression and health-related quality of life after jejunoileal bypass: a 25-year follow-up study of 20 female patients.

BACKGROUND: Jejunoileal (JI) bypass was a widely performed operation for morbid obesity in the 1970s. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term status for mental and physical health after weight loss induced by this operation. METHODS: 20 female patients (age 48-80 y, BMI 23-75 kg/m2) were interviewed 25 years after JI bypass. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD) and Short Form 36 (SF-36) were used. Scores from the Norwegian female population, and published scores for morbidly obese patients were used for comparison. An assessment was made on whether present demographic and clinical factors influenced the scores. RESULTS: Anxiety and depression scores, and scores for physical functioning, bodily pain, vitality and mental health on the SF-36 were similar to scores in the Norwegian female population used for comparison. The scores from the patient sample were much better than scores published for morbidly obese patients, and implies that weight loss induced by the operation has been of great benefit on mental health and health-related quality of life. Anxiety and depression symptoms improved; however, being socially handicapped by the stools had a negative impact on HAD and SF-36 scores. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that 25 years after the JI bypass most of these patients have a similar level of mental and physical health as the general Norwegian female population. For individuals with bothersome side-effect(s) of the operation, a negative impact is seen.

[The experience of the corporal self and the Rorschach test in severe obesity under medical-surgical treatment]. / Le vécu du soi corporel et le test de Rorschach dans l'obésité grave en traitement médical-chirurgical.

Purpose of this study is an investigation about the experience on the body Self and many relevant symbolic meanings in the massive obesity before and after the surgical therapy as well as a checking of the former obese patients in order to find out if such a heavy intervention may involve a modification of the body Self Perception in comparison with the former massive obesity situation. The investigation covered a sample group of 82 patients, and 12 of them were submitted again, after one year, to the Rorschach test with relevant evaluation through the Rausch de Trauenberg Self Representation Scale. The data thus obtained were considered again in a later phase by means of a sub-group of 10 obese patients compared with two checking groups consisting of subjects suffering from addiction pathologies (alcohol and opiate dependence) by means of the same method.