10 Jun Diabetes Treatment: Bariatric Surgery May Be More Efficient Than Conventional Care

MedicalResearch Interview with:
Lars Sjöström, MD, PhD
Professor
Department of Body Composition and Metabolism
Sahlgrenska University Hospital
Göteborg, Sweden

MedicalResearch: What are the main findings of the study?

Prof. Sjöström: In obese diabetic subjects, the 2-year diabetes remission was 72% in bariatric surgery patients but only 16% in obese controls obtaining conventional obesity and diabetes treatment. After 15 years, 30% were in remission in the surgery group and 6.5% in the control group. In addition, the 20-year incidence of diabetes complication was 30 -55% lower in surgery than control patients.

MedicalResearch: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Prof. Sjöström: That bariatric surgery is far more efficient than conventional care in the treatment of diabetes and the prevention of diabetes complications.

MedicalResearch: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Prof. Sjöström: In future diabetes studies, always consider bariatric surgery as a comparator to new lifestyle and pharmacological treatments.

Citation:
Association of Bariatric Surgery With Long-term Remission of Type 2 Diabetes and With Microvascular and Macrovascular Complications

Last Updated on June 10, 2014 by Marie Benz MD FAAD