Gastroesophageal reflux disease, obesity and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: The burning questions

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Abstract

Obesity is a global health epidemic with considerable economic burden. Surgical solutions have become increasingly popular following technical advances leading to sustained efficacy and reduced risk. Sleeve gastrectomy accounts for almost half of all bariatric surgeries worldwide but concerns regarding its relationship with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has been a topic of debate. GERD, including erosive esophagitis, is highly prevalent in the obese population. The role of pre-operative endoscopy in bariatric surgery has been controversial. Two schools of thought exist on the matter, one that believes routine upper endoscopy before bariatric surgery is not warranted in the absence of symptoms and another that believes that symptoms are poor predictors of underlying esophageal pathology. This debate is particularly important considering the evidence for the association of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) with de novo and/or worsening GERD compared to the less popular Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure. In this paper, we try to address 3 burning questions regarding the inter-relationship of obesity, GERD, and LSG: (1) What is the prevalence of GERD and erosive esophagitis in obese patients considered for bariatric surgery? (2) Is it necessary to perform an upper endoscopy in obese patients considered for bariatric surgery? And (3) What are the long-term effects of sleeve gastrectomy on GERD and should LSG be done in patients with pre-existing GERD?

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Most cited references 57

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Meta-analysis: obesity and the risk for gastroesophageal reflux disease and its complications.

Howard Hampel, Neena Abraham, Hashem El-Serag (2005)

The association of body mass index and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), including its complications (esophagitis, Barrett esophagus, and esophageal adenocarcinoma), is unclear. To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the magnitude and determinants of an association between obesity and GERD symptoms, erosive esophagitis, Barrett esophagus, and adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and of the gastric cardia. MEDLINE search between 1966 and October 2004 for published full studies. Studies that provided risk estimates and met criteria on defining exposure and reporting outcomes and sample size. Two investigators independently performed standardized search and data abstraction. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios for individual outcomes were obtained or calculated for each study and were pooled by using a random-effects model. Nine studies examined the association of body mass index (BMI) with GERD symptoms. Six of these studies found statistically significant associations. Six of 7 studies found significant associations of BMI with erosive esophagitis, 6 of 7 found significant associations with esophageal adenocarcinoma, and 4 of 6 found significant associations with gastric cardia adenocarcinoma. In data from 8 studies, there was a trend toward a dose-response relationship with an increase in the pooled adjusted odds ratios for GERD symptoms of 1.43 (95% CI, 1.158 to 1.774) for BMI of 25 kg/m2 to 30 kg/m2 and 1.94 (CI, 1.468 to 2.566) for BMI greater than 30 kg/m2. Similarly, the pooled adjusted odds ratios for esophageal adenocarcinoma for BMI of 25 kg/m2 to 30 kg/m2 and BMI greater than 30 kg/m2 were 1.52 (CI, 1.147 to 2.009) and 2.78 (CI, 1.850 to 4.164), respectively. Heterogeneity in the findings was present, although it was mostly in the magnitude of statistically significant positive associations. No studies in this review examined the association between Barrett esophagus and obesity. Obesity is associated with a statistically significant increase in the risk for GERD symptoms, erosive esophagitis, and esophageal adenocarcinoma. The risk for these disorders seems to progressively increase with increasing weight.

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Obesity is an independent risk factor for GERD symptoms and erosive esophagitis.

H Serag, Jessie A Satia, David Graham … (2005)

An association between obesity and GERD symptoms has been reported; however, study results have been inconsistent and it is not known whether an association persists after adjusting for other known GERD risk factors. We carried out a cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence and risk factors of GERD in volunteers (VA employees). Participants completed a Gastroesophageal Reflux Questionnaire, the Block 98 Food Frequency Questionnaire, provided height and weight information, and were invited for upper endoscopy with biopsies. Associations of body mass index (BMI) with GERD symptoms and erosive esophagitis were examined separately in multiple logistic regression analyses adjusting for age, sex, race, GERD symptoms, dietary intake, education level, family history of GERD, H. pylori infection, and the presence and distribution of gastritis. Four hundred and fifty-three persons (mean age 44 yr, 70% women and 43% black) provided complete information on heartburn, regurgitation, and BMI (50% of 915 who received questionnaires). Of the 196 who underwent endoscopy, 44 (22%) had esophageal erosions and 118 (26%) reported at least weekly heartburn or regurgitation. A dose-response relationship between frequency of heartburn or regurgitation and higher BMI was observed. Compared to participants without weekly symptoms, a significantly larger proportion of the 118 with these symptoms were either overweight (BMI 25-30) (35% vs 32%) or obese (BMI>30) (39% vs 26%), p for linear trend 0.004. Relative to those with no esophageal erosions, those with erosions were more likely to be overweight (39%vs 26%) or obese (41% vs 32%), p=0.04. Obese participants were 2.5 times as likely as those with normal BMI (<25) to have reflux symptoms or esophageal erosions. The association between BMI and GERD symptoms persisted in direction and magnitude after adjustment for potential confounders. Overweight and obesity are strong independent risk factor of GERD symptoms and esophageal erosions. The amount or composition of dietary intake does not appear to be a likely explanation for these findings.

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A prospective randomized study between laparoscopic gastric banding and laparoscopic isolated sleeve gastrectomy: results after 1 and 3 years.

Jacques Himpens, Guy-Bernard Cadière, Giovanni Dapri (2006)

Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (GB) is the most popular restrictive procedure for obesity in Europe. Isolated sleeve gastrectomy (SG), is less common, but more invasive and with a higher learning curve. The aim of this prospective randomized study was to compare the results of GB and SG after 1 and 3 years of surgery. 80 patient candidates for laparoscopic restrictive surgery were operated consecutively and randomly, between January and December 31, 2002, by GB (7M, 33F) or by SG (9M, 31F) (NS). Median age was 36 (20-61) for GB versus 40 (22-65) for SG (NS). Median BMI was 37 (30-47) for GB versus 39 (30-53) for SG (NS). After 1 and 3 years: weight loss, feeling of hunger, sweet eating, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), complications and re-operations were recorded in both groups. Median weight loss after 1 year was 14 kg (-5 to +38) for GB and 26 kg (0 to 46) for SG (P<0.0001); and after 3 years was 17 kg (0 to 40) for GB and 29.5 kg (1 to 48) for SG (P<0.0001). Median decrease in BMI after 1 year was 15.5 kg/m 2 (5 to 39) after GB and 25 kg/m(2) (0 to 45) after SG (P<0.0001); and after 3 years was 18 kg/m(2) (0 to 39) after GB and 27.5 kg/m 2 (0 to 48) after SG (P=0.0004). Median %EWL at 1 year was 41.4% (-11.8 to +130.5) after GB and 57.7% (0 to 125.5) after SG (P=0.0004); and at 3 years was 48% (0 to 124.8) after GB and 66% (-3.1 to +152.4) after SG (P=0.0025). Loss of feeling of hunger after 1 year was registered in 42.5% of patients with GB and in 75% of patients with SG (P=0.003); and after 3 years in 2.9% of patients with GB and 46.7% of patients with SG (P<0.0001). Loss of craving for sweets after 1 year was achieved in 35% of patients with GB and 50% of patients with SG (NS); and after 3 years in 2.9% of patients with GB and 23% of patients with SG (NS). GERD appeared de novo after 1 year in 8.8% of patients with GB and 21.8% of patients with SG (NS); and after 3 years in 20.5% of patients with GB and 3.1% of patients with SG (NS). Postoperative complications requiring re-operation were necessary for 2 patients after SG. Late complications requiring re-operation after GB included 3 pouch dilations treated by band removal in 2 and 1 laparoscopic conversion to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP), 1 gastric erosion treated by conversion to RYGBP, and 3 disconnections of the system treated by reconnection. Inefficacy affected 2 patients after GB, treated by conversion into RYGBP and 2 patients after SG treated by conversion to duodenal switch. Weight loss and loss of feeling of hunger after 1 year and 3 years are better after SG than GB. GERD is more frequent at 1 year after SG and at 3 years after GB. The number of re-operations is important in both groups, but the severity of complications appears higher in SG.

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Author and article information

Contributors

Halim Bou Daher

Ala I Sharara

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): World J Gastroenterol

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): World J. Gastroenterol

Journal ID (publisher-id): WJG

Title: World Journal of Gastroenterology

Publisher: Baishideng Publishing Group Inc

ISSN (Print): 1007-9327

ISSN (Electronic): 2219-2840

Publication date (Print): 7 September 2019

Publication date (Electronic): 7 September 2019

Volume: 25

Issue: 33

Pages: 4805-4813

Affiliations

Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon

Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon. ala.sharara@ 123456aub.edu.lb

Author notes

Author contributions: Sharara AI conceived the idea for the manuscript; Bou Daher H and Sharara AI reviewed the literature and drafted the manuscript.

Corresponding author: Ala I Sharara, AGAF, FACG, FRCP, MD, Professor, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Cairo Street, P.O. Box 11-0236/16-B, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon. ala.sharara@ 123456aub.edu.lb

Telephone: +961-1-3500005351

Article

Other ID: jWJG.v25.i33.pg4805

DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v25.i33.4805

PMC ID: 6737315

PubMed ID: 31543675

SO-VID: 8dd1da46-e55b-4169-8c4b-d82309239012

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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial.

History

Date received : 27 February 2019

Date revision received : 3 August 2019

Date accepted : 19 August 2019

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Gastroesophageal reflux disease, obesity and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: The burning questions

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Meta-analysis: obesity and the risk for gastroesophageal reflux disease and its complications.

Obesity is an independent risk factor for GERD symptoms and erosive esophagitis.

A prospective randomized study between laparoscopic gastric banding and laparoscopic isolated sleeve gastrectomy: results after 1 and 3 years.

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Cited by 11

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