A five-Year BODY-Q Assessment of Six Health-Related Quality of Life Scales After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Versus Sleeve Gastrectomy.

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) are the two most frequently performed bariatric procedures worldwide. Although previous studies using generic patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) have demonstrated limited differences in long-term health-related quality of life (HRQL) between procedures, the BODY-Q, a patient-reported outcome measure developed for weight loss and/or body contouring treatments, has not been evaluated in this context.

OBJECTIVE

To assess five-year outcomes on six BODY-Q HRQL scales and corresponding minimal important differences (MIDs), representing clinically meaningful score improvements, after LRYGB and LSG.

METHODS

This prospective multicenter cohort study included patients aged 18-65 years who underwent primary LRYGB or LSG between 2017 and 2019 at two Dutch hospitals. HRQL was measured using six BODY-Q subscales preoperatively and at 4 months, and 1-5 years postoperatively.

RESULTS

A total of 391 patients were included (LRYGB: 256; LSG: 135). Weight-related outcomes favored LRYGB over LSG across follow-up, with greater %TWL at all postoperative timepoints in descriptive comparisons. Scores of six HRQL scales did not differ significantly between LRYGB and LSG at five-year follow-up. A higher proportion of LRYGB patients achieved an MID in physical functioning at 4 months and in body image at years 3 and 4 (p < 0.05). Both surgical procedures were associated with significant improvements in associated medical problems.

CONCLUSION

Both LRYGB and LSG led to comparable HRQL outcomes and similar proportions of patients achieving an MID at 5 years.