The Long-Term Course of Quality of Life and the Prediction of Weight Outcome After Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding: A Prospective Study

Background: This prospective study examined physical and mental quality of life up to 6 years after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) and the predictive role of quality of life for weight outcome. Method: Forty-five LAGB patients (38 female, 7 male) filled out the short form-36 (SF-36) health survey 6 months before and 1 and 6 years after LAGB. Body mass index (BMI) was assessed. Repeated measures analyses of variance and multiple regression analyses were used. Results: Physical functioning but not mental well-being improved significantly between baseline and 1 year after LAGB, whereas a nonsignificant deterioration occurred for both quality of life dimensions between 1 year and 6 years follow-up. A lower mental well-being before surgery and at 1 year after surgery predicted a larger reduction of BMI at 6 years. Conclusion: After LAGB, physical functioning improves more clearly than mental well-being, but this improvement is not fully sustained during the 5 years that follow. Clinicians should be aware that a better mental well-being might forecast a poorer weight outcome in the long term.