article
Safety of bariatric surgery in ≥ 65‑year‑old patients during the COVID‑19 pandemic
Registro en:
Autor
Quinino, Reynaldo Martins e
Singhal, Rishi
Omar, Islam
Et al
Resumen
Background Age ≥ 65 years is regarded as a relative contraindication for bariatric surgery. Advanced age is also a recognised
risk factor for adverse outcomes with Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) which continues to wreak havoc on global
populations. This study aimed to assess the safety of bariatric surgery (BS) in this particular age group during the COVID19 pandemic in comparison with the younger cohort.
Methods We conducted a prospective international study of patients who underwent BS between 1/05/2020 and 31/10/2020.
Patients were divided into two groups — patients ≥ 65-years-old (Group I) and patients < 65-years-old (Group II). The two
groups were compared for 30-day morbidity and mortality.
Results There were 149 patients in Group 1 and 6923 patients in Group II. The mean age, preoperative weight, and BMI
were 67.6 ± 2.5 years, 119.5 ± 24.5 kg, and 43 ± 7 in Group I and 39.8 ± 11.3 years, 117.7±20.4 kg, and 43.7 ± 7 in Group
II, respectively. Approximately, 95% of patients in Group 1 had at least one co-morbidity compared to 68% of patients in
Group 2 (p = < 0.001).
The 30-day morbidity was signifcantly higher in Group I (11.4%) compared to Group II (6.6%) (p = 0.022). However, the
30-day mortality and COVID-19 infection rates were not signifcantly diferent between the two groups.
Conclusions Bariatric surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with a higher complication rate in those ≥ 65
years of age compared to those < 65 years old. However, the mortality and postoperative COVID-19 infection rates are not signifcantly diferent between the two groups.