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Copper Deficiency after Gastric Bypass for Morbid Obesity: a Systematic Review

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Abstract

A large number of patients undergoing bariatric surgery are deficient in copper, and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass can further aggravate it. Delays in diagnosis and treatment of copper deficiency can leave patients with residual neurological disability. This has led to recommendation from the British Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society that copper levels should be monitored annually after gastric bypass. This review concludes that copper deficiency in adequately supplemented patients is rare and can be adequately treated if a related haematological or neurological disorder is diagnosed. The cost of routine monitoring may therefore not be justified for adequately supplemented, asymptomatic patients who have undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. The screening may however be necessary for high-risk patient groups to prevent severe complications and permanent disability.

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Abbreviations

ASMBS:

American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery

BOMSS:

British Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society

Cu:

copper

PRISMA:

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

RYGB:

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

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Authors’ Contributions

KM conceived the idea for the topic. PK, KM, NH independently collected information and analysed it. All authors participated in discussions on the topic and manuscript writing. All authors have seen the final version and approve of it.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of General Surgery, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia

    Parveen Kumar

  2. Bariatric Unit, Department of General Surgery, Sunderland Royal Hospital, Sunderland, SR4 7TP, UK

    Numan Hamza, Brijesh Madhok, Nimantha De Alwis & Kamal K. Mahawar

  3. Department of Chemical Pathology, Homerton University Hospital NHS Trust, London, UK

    Manisha Sharma

  4. Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Imperial College London, London, UK

    Alexander Dimitri Miras

Authors
  1. Parveen Kumar
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  2. Numan Hamza
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Correspondence to Kamal K. Mahawar.

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Kumar, P., Hamza, N., Madhok, B. et al. Copper Deficiency after Gastric Bypass for Morbid Obesity: a Systematic Review. OBES SURG 26, 1335–1342 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-016-2162-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-016-2162-8

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