Health-related quality of life in morbidly obese patients: effect of gastric bypass surgery

Background: The effect of gastric bypass on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of morbidly obese patients was investigated in a cross-sectional study. Methods: A postoperative group of 78 patients on average 13.8 years after gastric bypass was compared with a preoperative control group of 110 patients. The SF-36 was used to assess HRQoL. In preoperative patients, the SF-36 was self-administered, while in the postoperative group, telephone interviews were conducted. In the postoperative sample, multiple stepwise linear regression analyses were carried out to examine putative predictors of the physical (PCS) and the mental (MCS) composite scores of the SF-36. Results: Significant differences between the preand postoperative group were found for all subscales except Mental Health, in favor of the postoperative group. On average 13.8 years after gastric bypass, most of the sub-scales were similar to the US norm values. However, the Bodily Pain and the overall Physical Composite scale (PCS) scores were lower (more impaired) in the postoperative group compared with the US norms. Female patients, patients who were hospitalized since the surgery, and those who had lost less weight had more impaired values on the PCS and patients who reported binge-eating disorder (BED) at follow-up had more impaired values on the Mental Composite Scale (MCS) of the SF-36. Conclusion: HRQoL was significantly better in postoperative gastric bypass patients in comparison to a sample of preoperative patients. However, HRQoL, specifically the physical domain of the SF-36, was more impaired in long-term follow-up patients compared with US norm values. The reoccurrence of BED after surgery negatively influenced the mental domain of the SF-36.