Early Weight Loss after Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Predicts Sustained Weight Maintenance Among Chinese Individuals with a BMI < 35 kg/m.

OBJECTIVES

This study assessed the efficacy and safety of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) in Chinese individuals with a body mass index (BMI) under 35 kg/m and to explore the association between early weight loss and sustained weight maintenance.

METHODS

Patients whose BMI < 35 kg/m were recruited. Changes in BMI, total weight loss (%TWL), and excess weight loss (%EWL) were evaluated, with successful weight loss being a %EWL of > 50% and a %TWL of > 25%. Binary logistic regression was employed to assess relationships between %EWL and %TWL and to calculate a joint predictor. The association between early weight loss and sustained weight maintenance was assessed as a function of %EWL, %TWL, and this joint predictor, with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves being used for optimal cutoff threshold identification.

RESULTS

In total, 143 individuals with average preoperative weight and BMI values of 88 (82, 95) kg and 31.99 (29.41, 33.15) kg/m, respectively, were enrolled in present study. At 5 years, 48.00% of patients achieved successful weight loss. Both 3-month %EWL and %TWL were significantly related to sustained weight loss at 5 years (P < 0.05). ROC curves were used to identify %TWL of 19.54% at 3 months as the most reliable predictor of weight loss at a 5-year follow-up (sensitivity: 61.11%, specificity: 76.92%).

CONCLUSION

LSG had long-term safety and efficacy, and %TWL at 3 months can predict sustained 5-year weight loss in Chinese individuals with BMI < 35 kg/m.