The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Weight Loss, Eating Behaviour and Quality of Life after Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass.

Background and Objectives: The global pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), declared on 11 March 2020, had an extensive impact on bariatric patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate short-term weight loss outcomes, changes in eating behaviour, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among patients who had Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: This cohort study included 72 patients (Group S) who underwent RYGB surgery in the Surgery Department of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences during the COVID-19 pandemic in the years 2020-2022. Data for the control group (Group C) of 87 patients (operated on in 2010-2012) were collected from a prospective study. The data referred to the period before and a year after the RYGB. The information about patients' weight changes, hunger, satiety, fullness sensations, appetite, diet, and eating patterns was queried. Eating behaviour and HRQoL evaluation were conducted by the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-R18) and the medical outcomes study Short-Form-36 (SF-36), respectively. Results: One year after the surgery, % excess body mass index loss (%EBMIL) was 77.88 (26.33) in Group S, 76.21 (19.98) in Group C, p = 0.663. Patients in Group S tended more to choose snacks between main meals: 79.2% versus 28.7%, p < 0.0001. Cognitive restraint significantly increased in Group S from 45.93 (13.37) up to 54.48 (13.76), p = 0.001; additionally, significantly worse overall health status was found in Group S compared to Group C, 53.27 (24.61) versus 70.11 (31.63), p < 0.0001. Mental HRQoL (50.76 versus 60.52 score, p < 0.0001) and social functioning (44.79 versus 57.90, p < 0.0001) were worse in Group S. Conclusions: In this study, the COVID-19 pandemic had no impact on short-term weight loss after RYGB. However, one year after, RYGB patients tended to snack more, and mental HRQoL and social functioning were worse in the study group.

Factors associated with quality of life and weight regain 12 years after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

BACKGROUND: Scarce evidence exists in the literature about the factors influencing the long-term quality of life (QoL) and weight regain (WR) after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). The aim of the present study was to investigate factors associated with WR and QoL, measured by obesity specific Moorehead-Ardelt Quality of Life Questionnaire II (M-A QoLQ II), 12 years after RYGB. METHODS: This prospective longitudinal cohort study included 74 patients with obesity who had RYGB at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences hospital Surgery department in 2005. Gastrointestinal and dumping symptoms, hypoglycemia, depression and anxiety disorders, hunger, satiety after meals, portion size, and grazing were assessed in the patients who agreed to participate in the study. General linear models were constructed to estimate the effect of variables on the WR and QoL. RESULTS: 12-year follow-up data were available for 50 patients (38 female, median body mass index (BMI) before surgery 42.4). The mean % excess BMI loss (%EBMIL) after 12 years was 63.1 (24.6) and the average %WR was 32.2 (19.4). The mean M-A QoLQ II score was 1.44 (1.3). Majority of the patients (76.6%) reported good or very good QoL. In multivariable analysis, only grazing (17.41% 95% CI 7.61-27.21; P = 0.001) was found to be a significant independent factor associated with WR. Factors independently associated with worse QoL were grazing (- 0.97 95% CI - 1.72, - 0.22; P = 0.013) and frequency of abdominal pain once or more per month (- 1.82 95% CI - 2.79, - 0.85; P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: 12 years after RYGB majority of the patients report good or very good QoL and despite some WR have achieved and maintained significant weight loss. Grazing was associated with both WR and worse QoL, while the frequency of abdominal pain once or more per month was associated with only decreased QoL.

Body size perception, knowledge about obesity and factors associated with lifestyle change among patients, health care professionals and public health experts.

BACKGROUND: The attitudes towards obesity may have an important role on healthier behavior. The goal of the present study was to explore the attitudes towards obesity and to investigate how these attitudes were associated with lifestyle-changing behavior among the patients attending primary care centers, health care professionals and public health experts. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey study was performed in 10 primary care offices in different regions in Lithuania and in 2 public health institutions. Nine hundred thirty-four patients, 97 nurses, 65 physicians and 30 public health experts have filled the questionnaire about attitudes towards obesity and presented data about lifestyle-changing activities during last 12 months. The attitudes were compared between different respondent groups and factors associated with healthier behaviors were analyzed among overweight/obese individuals in our study population. RESULTS: Participants failed to visually recognize correct figure corresponding to male and female with obesity. Majority of respondents' perceived obesity as a risk factor for heart diseases and diabetes but had less knowledge about other diseases associated with weight. About one third of respondents changed their lifestyle during last 12 months. Overweight individuals with age < 45 years (OR 1.64, 1.06-2.55; p = 0.025) were more likely and those who overestimated current weight (OR 0.44, 0.20-0.96; p = 0.036) less likely to change their lifestyle. Disappointment with their current weight (OR 2.57, 1.36-4.84; p = 0.003) was associated with healthier behavior among participants with obesity. CONCLUSION: Participants had similar body size perception and knowledge about obesity. Younger age had significant association with lifestyle changing behavior among overweight individuals and disappointment with current weight among obese participants.

Mid-Term Outcomes of Laparoscopic Gastric Greater Curvature Plication versus Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: Weight Loss, Gastrointestinal Symptoms, and Health-Related Quality of Life.

Background and Objectives: Laparoscopic gastric greater curvature plication (LGGCP) is considered to be less invasive, technically simpler, and less costly. Few studies have compared LGGCP to gastric bypass. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the mid-term outcomes of LGGCP such as weight loss, gastrointestinal symptoms, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in comparison to laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB). Materials and Methods: Between 2017 April and 2018 December, 112 patients were included in the study. Fifty patients had LGGCP, and sixty-two patients underwent LRYGB. Demographics, comorbidities, complications, percentage of excess body mass index loss (%EBMIL), gastrointestinal symptoms (GSRS questionnaire), and HRQoL (EQ-5D-3L questionnaire) were analysed. Gastrointestinal symptoms and HRQoL data are presented as the mean and median with the interquartile range (25th-75th percentile). Follow-up at 1 year and 3 year was performed. Results: The follow-up rate was 96.4% and 92.9%, 1 year and 3 year after surgery, respectively. Mean (SD) %EBMIL 1 year after surgery was 59.05 (25.34) in the LGGCP group and 82.40 (19.03) in the LRYGB group (p < 0.001) and 3 year after was 41.44 (26.74) and 75.59 (19.14), respectively (p < 0.001). The scores of all gastrointestinal symptoms measured by the GSRS questionnaire significantly decreased 3 year after both procedures, except reflux after LGGCP. Patients 3 year after LGGCP had a significantly lower abdominal pain score as compared to patients after LRYGB (1.01; 1.0 (1.0-1.0) and 1.20; 1.0 (1.0-1.33), respectively (p < 0.001); however, LGGCP resulted in significantly more GERD symptoms (1.79; 1.25 (1.0-2.5) and 1.18; 1.0 (1.0-1.0), respectively (p < 0.001)). Three years after surgery, the quality of life was significantly lower in the LGGCP group (0.762; 0.779 (0.690-0.794) and 0.898; 1.000 (0.783-1.000), respectively (p < 0.001)). Conclusions: Three years after surgery, LGGCP patients lost significantly less weight, had less abdominal pain and more reflux symptoms, and a lower quality of life as compared to LRYGB patients.

Monitoring of Hypercoagulability by Thromboelastography in Bariatric Surgery.

BACKGROUND Obesity is known as a major risk factor for postoperative vein thrombosis. Thromboelastography (TEG) is used to monitor viscoelastic features of blood clots. The aim of this study was to determine hypercoagulable states in patients undergoing bariatric surgery and to assess dynamics of coagulation parameters in the perioperative setting using TEG. MATERIAL AND METHODS We included 60 consecutive patients undergoing bariatric surgery. TEG alterations were assessed at 4 time points: at baseline, after the surgery, and on postoperative day 1 (POD1) and 2 (POD2). Hypercoagulable state was defined when patients showed clot strength (G) of ≥11 dynes/cm² or maximum amplitude (MA) ≥68 mm. RESULTS Fourteen patients (23.3%) out of 60 showed hypercoagulability prior to surgery on TEG. Fibrinogen levels were significantly higher in the G ≥11 group compared to the G <11 group, at 4.2 and 3.8 g/l, respectively (p=0.02). Seventeen patients (28.3%) had MA ≥68 mm at baseline. Fibrinogen levels increased significantly from 3.90 at baseline to 4.16 g/l in POD2 (p<0.001). There was an increase in mean reaction time from baseline (6.74 s) to POD2 (7.43 s, p=0.022). We found a correlation between baseline fibrinogen levels and MA (R=0.431, p=0.001) or G (R=0.387, p=0.003). ROC curve analysis showed that fibrinogen levels can predict clot strength (G) ≥11 dynes/cm² with AUC=0.680 (p=0.044). CONCLUSIONS A considerable proportion of patients referred to bariatric surgery show a trend towards hypercoagulability on TEG. This study shows the potential of hypercoagulation monitoring by TEG in the perioperative setting of bariatric surgery.

Atrophic gastritis and gastric cancer tissue miRNome analysis reveals hsa-miR-129-1 and hsa-miR-196a as potential early diagnostic biomarkers.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most frequently diagnosed tumor globally. In most cases, GC develops in a stepwise manner from chronic gastritis or atrophic gastritis (AG) to cancer. One of the major issues in clinical settings of GC is diagnosis at advanced disease stages resulting in poor prognosis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding molecules that play an essential role in a variety of fundamental biological processes. However, clinical potential of miRNA profiling in the gastric cancerogenesis, especially in premalignant GC cases, remains unclear. AIM: To evaluate the AG and GC tissue miRNomes and identify specific miRNAs' potential for clinical applications (e.g., non-invasive diagnostics). METHODS: Study included a total of 125 subjects: Controls (CON), AG, and GC patients. All study subjects were recruited at the Departments of Surgery or Gastroenterology, Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences and divided into the profiling (n = 60) and validation (n = 65) cohorts. Total RNA isolated from tissue samples was used for preparation of small RNA sequencing libraries and profiled using next-generation sequencing (NGS). Based on NGS data, deregulated miRNAs hsa-miR-129-1-3p and hsa-miR-196a-5p were analyzed in plasma samples of independent cohort consisting of CON, AG, and GC patients. Expression level of hsa-miR-129-1-3p and hsa-miR-196a-5p was determined using the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and 2-ΔΔCt method. RESULTS: Results of tissue analysis revealed 20 differentially expressed miRNAs in AG group compared to CON group, 129 deregulated miRNAs in GC compared to CON, and 99 altered miRNAs comparing GC and AG groups. Only 2 miRNAs (hsa-miR-129-1-3p and hsa-miR-196a-5p) were identified to be step-wise deregulated in healthy-premalignant-malignant sequence. Area under the curve (AUC)-receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed that expression level of hsa-miR-196a-5p is significant for discrimination of CON vs AG, CON vs GC and AG vs GC and resulted in AUCs: 88.0%, 93.1% and 66.3%, respectively. Compar-ing results in tissue and plasma samples, hsa-miR-129-1-3p was significantly down-regulated in GC compared to AG (P = 0.0021 and P = 0.024, tissue and plasma, respectively). Moreover, analysis revealed that hsa-miR-215-3p/5p and hsa-miR-934 were significantly deregulated in GC based on Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection status [log2 fold change (FC) = -4.52, P-adjusted = 0.02; log2FC = -4.00, P-adjusted = 0.02; log2FC = 6.09, P-adjusted = 0.02, respectively]. CONCLUSION: Comprehensive miRNome study provides evidence for gradual deregulation of hsa-miR-196a-5p and hsa-miR-129-1-3p in gastric carcinogenesis and found hsa-miR-215-3p/5p and hsa-miR-934 to be significantly deregulated in H. pylori carrying GC patients.

Weight regain after gastric bypass: etiology and treatment options.

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is one of the most common operations performed for the patients with morbid obesity. Weight regain (WR) is a complication that may decrease efficiency of the surgical treatment and demand further interventions. Different factors including lifestyle, mental health, hormonal/metabolic and surgical plays role in WR after RYGB. Various treatment options have been proposed for WR. Conservative treatment is less effective than surgery. Endoscopic refashioning of gastric pouch/stoma fails to achieve sustainable weight loss. Surgical reduction of pouch has acceptable short-term results, but WR after 3 years is substantial. Banded gastric bypass achieves good short-term results, but long-term follow-up data are needed. Distalization of RYGB has a high risk of protein calorie malnutrition (PCM) and conversion to BP diversion (BPD)/duodenal switch (DS) is a technically demanding procedure. Both procedures achieve sustainable long-term weight loss. More studies are needed to explore long-term results of various surgical interventions for WR after RYGB.