Prevalence and risk factors for symptoms suggestive of hypoglycemia and early dumping syndrome after sleeve gastrectomy

BackgroundPostprandial hypoglycemia and early dumping syndrome are common complications after bariatric surgery. Although sleeve gastrectomy (SG) has become a primary option for many bariatric surgeons, limited information was available for the prevalence and risk factors of the complications.ObjectiveTo assess the prevalence and possible risk factors for postprandial hypoglycemia and early dumping syndrome based on self-reported symptoms of SG patients.SettingThe study was conducted at a bariatric surgery center in a university hospital.MethodsIn this study, all patients who underwent an SG (n = 222) between December 2011 and May 2018 in our center were invited to participate in a questionnaire survey. The Edinburgh Hypoglycemia Scoring System and the Dumping Symptom Rating Scale were used to evaluate symptoms, and clinical data of the patients were collected. The median follow-up time was 1.1 years.ResultsThe questionnaire was completed and returned by 54.95% (122/222) of the patients and 62.30% (76/122) of the responders were women. The prevalence rates of mild and moderate symptoms suggestive of hypoglycemia were 65.57% (80/122) and .82%, respectively. An associated risk factor was younger age (adjusted for sex, body mass index, and waist circumference at baseline: odds ratio 3.69; 95% confidence interval 1.22–11.21]), but this association disappeared after further adjustment of low-density protein cholesterol (LDL-C) (odds ratio 6.42; 95% confidence interval .38–108],;P > .05). The prevalence rate of mild symptoms suggestive of early dumping was 40.98% (50/122), associated risk factor was lower LDL-C.ConclusionMild-to-moderate symptoms suggestive of hypoglycemia and early dumping syndrome were common in patients after SG, with the prevalence rates of 66.39% (81/122) and 40.98% (50/122), respectively. Patients with both symptoms suggestive of early dumping syndrome and hypoglycemia accounted for 33.61% (41/122) of all patients. Younger age indicated higher risk of hypoglycemia after SG and lower LDL-C may play an important role in this relationship. Lower LDL-C was associated with higher risk of early dumping syndrome after SG.