Objective: This prospective cohort analysis describes changes in weight, cardiometabolic health, and weight-related quality of life (WRQOL) following adolescent LAGB.
Methods: Teen-Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (Teen-LABS) collected demographic, anthropometric, micronutrient, cardiometabolic risk, and WRQOL data for 242 adolescents. Data through 5 years were analyzed for 14 participants who underwent LAGB with 2 patients lost to follow-up.
Results: Participants (mean age 18.2 ± 0.4 years) were mostly female (86%) and white (71%) with a median body mass index (BMI) of 48.7 kg/m2 (45.5-54.1). Preoperatively, 100%(13/13), 62%(8/13), 57%(8/14), and 7%(1/14) had elevated high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), dyslipidemia, elevated blood pressure (EBP), and type 2 diabetes (T2D), respectively. At 5 years, mean BMI decreased by 3.3% (51.0 vs. 49.3 kg/m2, p = 0.6), 43%(6/14) had BMI values exceeding baseline and 21% (3/14) underwent band removal. Postoperative prevalence of hs-CRP, dyslipidemia, EBP, and T2D was 45% (4/11), 36% (5/11), 33% (4/12), and 0% (0/11), respectively.
Conclusion: Adolescents undergoing LAGB experienced modest initial weight loss and improvements in cardiovascular risk factors with later weight regain and frequent need for band removal. Despite the small sample size, this prospective study highlights long-term outcomes with high rates of participant retention over time.
Clinical trial registration: NCT00465829.
Keywords: Adjustable gastric band; Adolescent; Bariatric surgery.