Sleeve gastrectomy in patients with severe obesity and baseline chronic kidney disease improves kidney function independently of weight loss: a propensity score matched analysis

Background: In the last 10 years, severe obesity and the associated metabolic syndrome have reached pandemic proportions and consequently have significantly increased the prevalence of related co-morbidities such as chronic kidney disease (CKD). One in 7 people in the United States have CKD, and 90% of those are not aware of it. Objectives: Following sleeve gastrectomy (SG) in patients with severe obesity and baseline CKD stage >= 2, to determine improvement of glomerular function and analyze the relationship between kidney function and weight loss. Setting: US Hospital, Academic Institution. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of all patients who underwent SG at our institution from 2010 to 2019. Kidney function assessment using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration Study (CKD-EPI) equation and classification was carried out preoperatively and postoperatively at 12-months follow-up. Propensity score matching (1:1 ratio) was used to balance the distribution of covariates between patients with a baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <90 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and patients with normal kidney function. Results: We calculated the eGFR of 1330 bariatric patients who underwent SG. Of these patients, 18.79% (n = 250) met the criteria for CKD-EPI eGFR calculation preoperatively and at 12-months follow-up after SG. From the 250 patients included in the analysis, 42% (n = 105) were classified as CKD stage >= 2. When comparing the baseline preoperative eGFR at 12-months follow-up after SG, we observed an improvement of 8.26 +/- 11.89 mL/min/1.73 m(2) in CKD stage >= 2 (eGFR,90 mL/min/1.73 m(2)) as compared with 1.98 6 10.25 mL/min/1.73 m(2) in patients with eGFR > 90 mL/min/1.73 m(2) (P < .001). Conclusion: There is short-term improvement of the eGFR in patients with severe obesity following SG. This improvement is significant in CKD stages >= 2 and seems unrelated to weight loss. (C) 2022 American Society for Bariatric Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study retrospectively reviewed bariatric patients who underwent SG in a US hospital and found significant improvement in eGFR at 12 months postoperatively in patients with CKD stage >= 2, unrelated to weight loss.