Safety of Bariatric Surgery in ≥ 65-Year-Old Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Rishi Singhal; Islam Omar; Brijesh Madhok; Yashasvi Rajeev; Yitka Graham; Abd A. Tahrani; Christian Ludwig; Tom Wiggins; Kamal Mahawar; GENEVA collaborators

doi:10.1007/s11695-022-06067-z

Safety of Bariatric Surgery in ≥ 65-Year-Old Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Rishi Singhal^*
, Islam Omar
, Brijesh Madhok
, Yashasvi Rajeev
, Yitka Graham
, Abd A. Tahrani
, Christian Ludwig
, Tom Wiggins
, Kamal Mahawar
, GENEVA collaborators

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

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 COVID-19 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 significantly 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 significantly different 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 significantly different between the two groups.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2155-2167
Number of pages	13
Journal	Obesity surgery
Volume	32
Issue number	7
Early online date	5 May 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-022-06067-z
Publication status	Published - Jul 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s).

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

Aged
Bariatric Surgery/adverse effects
COVID-19/epidemiology
Humans
Obesity, Morbid/surgery
Pandemics
Postoperative Complications/epidemiology
Prospective Studies
Obesity
Metabolic surgery
SARS-CoV-2
Resuming elective surgery
Older patients

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Surgery
Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Nutrition and Dietetics

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10.1007/s11695-022-06067-zLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

s11695-022-06067-zFinal published version, 770 KBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

Correction to: Safety of Bariatric Surgery in ≥ 65-Year-Old Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Singhal, R., Omar, I., Madhok, B., Rajeev, Y., Graham, Y., Tahrani, A. A., Ludwig, C., Wiggins, T., Mahawar, K. & GENEVA collaborators, Mar 2026, In: Obesity surgery. 36, 3, p. 1393-1393 1 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate

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@article{fae953cc478940d782311f9993477db3,

title = "Safety of Bariatric Surgery in ≥ 65-Year-Old Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic",

abstract = "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 COVID-19 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 significantly 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 significantly different 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 significantly different between the two groups.",

keywords = "Aged, Bariatric Surgery/adverse effects, COVID-19/epidemiology, Humans, Obesity, Morbid/surgery, Pandemics, Postoperative Complications/epidemiology, Prospective Studies, Obesity, Metabolic surgery, SARS-CoV-2, Resuming elective surgery, Older patients",

author = "Rishi Singhal and Islam Omar and Brijesh Madhok and Yashasvi Rajeev and Yitka Graham and Tahrani, \{Abd A.\} and Christian Ludwig and Tom Wiggins and Kamal Mahawar and \{GENEVA collaborators\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022, The Author(s).",

year = "2022",

month = jul,

doi = "10.1007/s11695-022-06067-z",

language = "English",

volume = "32",

pages = "2155--2167",

journal = "Obesity surgery",

issn = "0960-8923",

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T1 - Safety of Bariatric Surgery in ≥ 65-Year-Old Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic

AU - Singhal, Rishi

AU - Omar, Islam

AU - Madhok, Brijesh

AU - Rajeev, Yashasvi

AU - Graham, Yitka

AU - Tahrani, Abd A.

AU - Ludwig, Christian

AU - Wiggins, Tom

AU - Mahawar, Kamal

AU - GENEVA collaborators

PY - 2022/7

Y1 - 2022/7

N2 - 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 COVID-19 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 significantly 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 significantly different 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 significantly different between the two groups.

AB - 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 COVID-19 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 significantly 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 significantly different 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 significantly different between the two groups.

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KW - Bariatric Surgery/adverse effects

KW - COVID-19/epidemiology

KW - Humans

KW - Obesity, Morbid/surgery

KW - Pandemics

KW - Postoperative Complications/epidemiology

KW - Prospective Studies

KW - Obesity

KW - Metabolic surgery

KW - SARS-CoV-2

KW - Resuming elective surgery

KW - Older patients

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U2 - 10.1007/s11695-022-06067-z

DO - 10.1007/s11695-022-06067-z

M3 - Article

C2 - 35513762

SN - 0960-8923

VL - 32

SP - 2155

EP - 2167

JO - Obesity surgery

JF - Obesity surgery

IS - 7

ER -

Safety of Bariatric Surgery in ≥ 65-Year-Old Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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Research output

Correction to: Safety of Bariatric Surgery in ≥ 65-Year-Old Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Cite this