Effect of sleeve gastrectomy on gastroesophageal reflux in patients with metabolic syndrome.

OBJECTIVES:To investigate the incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) after sleeve gastrectomy and the effect of sleeve gastrectomy in treating the symptom of gastroesophageal reflux in patients with metabolic syndrome. METHODS:We retrospectively analyzed 60 patients with metabolic syndrome who received laparoscopy sleeve gastrectomy in the Department of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from April 2018 to May 2019, and assessed the changes of symptoms before and after surgery. RESULTS:The study included 31 men and 29 women. The age of these patients was 16-46 (29.17±7.23) years, ranging from 16 to 46 years. The weight and body mass index (BMI) of the patients decreased from (116.02±31.96) kg and (39.67±8.90) kg/m2 to (98.32±25.22) kg and (34.4±7.85) kg/m2 at 1 month after the surgery, respectively. The number of patients with gastroesophageal reflux was 37(61.67%) before the surgery, and 18(30.00%) at 1 month after the surgery, respectively. The number of asymptomatic patients before the surgery while had gastroesophageal reflux symptoms within 1 month after the surgery was 4(6.67%). Among the 37 patients, 6(16.62%) had persisted or worsen symptoms with gastroesophageal reflux symptoms before the surgery, 23(62.16%) had no symptoms, and 8 patients (21.62%) showed improvement of gastroesophageal reflux 1 month after the surgery. Some scores of the GERD-Health-Related Quality of Life Scale (such as reflux after dinner) were significantly lower after the surgury than those before the surgery (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS:The symptoms of GERD are effectively improved after surgery. Sleeve gastrectomy is a feasible, safe and effective treatment for obesity with GERD.