Factors Determining Diabetic Remission after Sleeve Gastrectomy: A Prospective Study

BACKGROUND: An exponential rise in the prevalence of obesity and the associated type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has led to an explosion in the field of bariatric surgery worldwide. It has been proposed that laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) not only results in excess weight loss (EWL) but also leads to excellent glycemic control. AIMS: However, not every patient benefits from the bariatric surgery. Furthermore, bariatric surgery is currently indicated based on body mass index (BMI), but BMI solely does not predict diabetes remission after the surgery. We aimed to study the outcome of LSG on the diabetic status and the factors predicting the disease remission. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This prospective study was conducted on 104 obese patients having T2DM who underwent LSG. Following surgery, the clinical outcome on weight loss, BMI, and glycemic control was studied for 6 months. Various positive and negative predictors of diabetic remission after the surgery were also determined. Student's t-test and Chi-square tests were applied. RESULTS: LSG resulted in significant weight loss (P < 0.05); the percentage of EWL was 60.75 ± 6.30 at 6 months. Furthermore, surgery resulted in 78.9% remission of diabetes with fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin values at 6 months being 121.13 ± 15.25 mg/dl and 6.19% ± 0.31%, respectively. Younger and heavier patients, those with lesser disease severity and shorter duration had better chances of disease remission. Gender had no correlation with disease remission. CONCLUSION: LSG is a successful treatment option for T2DM and is more beneficial if offered, not as a last option, but to younger, obese patients with mild disease severity and shorter disease duration after the failure of medical treatment.