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Gastric Bypass for Obesity in the Elderly: Is It as Appropriate as for Young and Middle-Aged Populations?

Obesity Surgery volume 24, pages 1662–1669 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Obesity prevalence increases in elderly population. Bariatric surgery has been underused in patients over 60 because of fears of complications and lower weight loss. We postulated worse outcomes in the elderly in comparison to young and middle-aged population 1 year after gastric bypass.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed gastric bypass outcomes in young (<40 years), middle-aged (40 to 55 years), and elderly (>60 years) patients between 2007 and 2013. Each subject over 60 (n = 24) was matched with one subject of both the other groups according to gender, preoperative body mass index (BMI), surgical procedure, and history of previous bariatric surgery (n = 72).

Results

Older subjects demonstrated higher prevalence of preoperative metabolic comorbidities (70 vs 30 % in the <40-year-old group, p < 0.0001). Mean duration of the surgical procedure, mean length of stay, and early and late complication rates were similar between age groups. A trend towards fewer early complications and less-severe complications in the younger groups was noted. One-year weight loss results were similar between young, middle-aged, and elderly patients (percentage of excess BMI loss (EBL%), 74.4 ± 3.5; 78.9 ± 4.5, and 73.7 ± 4.5 respectively, p = 0.69). Age was not predictive of weight loss failure 1 year after surgery. Remission and improvement rates of comorbidities were similar between age groups 6 months after surgery.

Conclusions

Our study confirms weight loss efficacy of gastric bypass in the elderly with acceptable risks. Further studies evaluating the benefit-risk balance of bariatric surgery in the elderly population will be required so as to confirm the relevance of increasing age limit.

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Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sector.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Digestive Surgery, Specialized and Integrated Center for Obesity Management, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital Edouard Herriot, 5, place d’Arsonval, 69437, Lyon, France

    Maud Robert, Arnaud Pasquer, Philippe Espalieu & Christian Gouillat

  2. CENS-Centre Européen pour la Nutrition et la Santé, Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine Rhône-Alpes, Unité INSERM 1060, laboratoire CARMEN, Université Claude Bernard Lyon, 1.165, chemin du Grand Revoyet, 69530, Pierre Bénite, France

    Maud Robert, Martine Laville & Emmanuel Disse

  3. CHPL-Centre Hospitalier Privé de la Loire, 39, boulevard de la Palle, 42000, Saint Etienne, France

    Philippe Espalieu

  4. Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Specialized and Integrated Center for Obesity Management, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, 165, chemin du Grand Revoyet, 69495, Pierre Bénite, France

    Martine Laville & Emmanuel Disse

  5. Université Claude Bernard, Lyon, France

    Christian Gouillat

Authors
  1. Maud Robert
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  2. Arnaud Pasquer
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  3. Philippe Espalieu
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Correspondence to Maud Robert.

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Robert, M., Pasquer, A., Espalieu, P. et al. Gastric Bypass for Obesity in the Elderly: Is It as Appropriate as for Young and Middle-Aged Populations?. OBES SURG 24, 1662–1669 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-014-1247-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-014-1247-5

Keywords

  • Bariatric surgery
  • Gastric bypass
  • Morbid obesity
  • Age stratification
  • Elderly