Weight Loss Medications in Older Adults After Bariatric Surgery for Weight Regain or Inadequate Weight Loss: A Multicenter Study.

Overview

Weight loss medications are effective to confer additional weight loss after bariatric surgery in the general population, but they have not been evaluated in adults 60 years of age and older. We performed a retrospective study identifying 35 patients who were ≥60 years old and had undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) or sleeve gastrectomy (SG) from 2000 to 2014, and were subsequently prescribed weight loss medications. Linear regression analyses were performed to determine beta coefficients of certain predictor variables being associated with weight loss. Patients lost weight on medications with an average body mass index (BMI) change of -2.74 kg/m², standard deviation = 2.6 kg/m². RYGB patients lost a greater percentage of BMI on medication than SG (SG; -1.38 ± 1.49 kg/m² and RYGB; -3.37 ± 2.83 kg/m², p = 0.0372). Patients with hypertension were less likely to lose weight on medications (β = 16.76, p = 0.004, and 95% confidence interval = 5.85-27.67). Weight loss medications are a useful treatment to confer additional weight loss in adults 60 years of age and older after RYGB and SG.