The effect of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy on body mass index and obesity-related diseases in patients over 50 years old

Aim of the study: Obesity is a pandemic of the 21st century and may regard people of every age. Persons after 50 years of age are a group especially exposed to severe impact of obesity which is connected, among others, with increased risk of co-morbidities. Along with age, the human body undergoes processes connected with metabolic rate decrease, accumulation of fat tissue, a physical capacity decrease which exacerbates the issue of obesity. Material and methods: Retrospective analysis of biochemical and clinical parameters was conducted in the group of 102 patients, age 50–66 years old, after sleeve gastrectomy. Results: During observation, average BMI decreased from 45.52 (41.26–50.87) kg/m2 before the surgery to 29.71 (26.08–35.42) kg/m2 one year after the surgery (p < 0.001). %TWL 12 months after LSG reached 33.91% (27.81–37.6%) (p < 0.001), average % EBMIL was 76.78% (58.71–93.08%). The study revealed that the most frequently coexisting diseases with obesity were: hypertension (89 patients), type 2 diabetes (39 patients), sleep apnea (27 patients), and dyslipidemia (25 patients). One year follow-up revealed remission of hypertension in 37 patients (41.57%), type 2 diabetes in 16 patients (41.02%), sleep apnea in 12 patients (44.44%), and dyslipidemia in 19 patients (76%). In patients after LSG, improvement of biochemical parameters including lipid and carbohydrate balance, as well as improvement or recovery from co-morbidities were observed. Conclusions: LSG is an efficient method of obesity treatment, especially for patients after 50 years old with co-morbidities, which leads to permanent body mass loss as well as remission or recovery from chronic diseases and improves the quality of life.