Two ground-breaking studies have revealed astonishing results regarding the effects of metabolic surgery on patients with diabetes.
The first piece of research shows that patients with diabetes who underwent metabolic surgery experienced significantly fewer heart attacks, strokes, hospitalisations, and deaths compared to matched patients who did not receive surgery.
Statistics indicate that patients reduced their risk of hospitalisation due to a heart attack by over 35%, while the likelihood of a stroke diminished by more than 25%. The chances of developing congestive heart failure dropped by nearly 15%.
Even if complications did arise, metabolic surgery patients were far less likely to succumb to these conditions.
Specifically, the risk of death for those who did experience a myocardial infection decreased by just over 27% while patients with congestive heart failure and stroke saw a reduction in their risk of death by more than 40% and nearly 27%, respectively.
Metabolic surgery is proven to achieve diabetes remission in 60-80% of cases.
However, until now, limited knowledge existed regarding the impact of this surgical procedure on cardiovascular outcomes in patients whose diabetes either did not fully resolve or returned over time.
It is well-established that individuals with diabetes face twice the risk of developing heart disease or experiencing a stroke compared to those without the condition.
Dr Jonathan Jenkins, co-author of the study conducted at the University of Oklahoma in Tulsa, said that the team were ‘surprised’ by the considerable effects and suspected that ‘increased glycaemic control in metabolic surgery resistant type 2 diabetes drives decreased cardiovascular risk’.
The study was presented at the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting.
Meanwhile, researchers have revealed that bariatric surgery shows long-term success over standard diabetes management.
The report, published by the Pennington Biomedical Research Centre and collaborators, sheds light on the profound benefits of these surgical interventions compared to medical or lifestyle interventions.
It highlighted the exceptional benefits of metabolic or bariatric surgery in achieving superior glycaemic control, reducing medication reliance, and achieving high rates of Type 2 diabetes remission among individuals with class 1 obesity.
Researchers evaluated more than 250 participants for up to 12 years – the largest cohort of people assessed for the long-term durability of the two treatments.
Over the course of six years, from May 2007 to August 2013, 262 participants diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes were meticulously selected and assigned randomly to either the metabolic surgery group or the medical/lifestyle intervention group.
With a median follow-up of 11 years, individuals in the metabolic surgery group experienced a remarkable decrease in blood sugar levels, a substantially higher rate of diabetes remission, and achieved significantly greater weight loss than those people undergoing medical and lifestyle interventions.
Researchers believe this study stands as a significant milestone in the medical community, representing the most extensive investigation of its kind.
The results were presented at the 83rd Scientific Sessions Conference by the American Diabetes Association in San Diego.
The economic burden of diabetes is well-documented. According to King’s College London, the global cost of diabetes is set to almost double to $2.5 trillion by 2030 and Researchers from King’s, in collaboration with colleagues from The University of Gottingen,
suggest that even if countries meet internationally set targets, the global economic burden from the disease will still increase by 88%.
Additionally, figures from the World Health Organisation show the number of people with diabetes rose from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014. Between 2000 and 2019, there was a 3% increase in diabetes mortality rates by age.
In 2019, diabetes and kidney disease due to diabetes caused an estimated two million deaths.
