Quality of Life in the Late Postoperative Period of Patients Undergoing Bariatric Surgery

Abstract

Introduction: Obesity, a major health problem, is a chronic disease characterized by the excessive accumulation of body fat.  Treatment is multifactorial, but sometimes bariatric surgery is the only possibility to improve the quality of life. Objectives: Assess the quality of life and satisfaction of patients who underwent bariatric surgery, and investigate variables such as blood pressure, blood glucose and dyslipidemia. Method: Cross-sectional study of 36 WHO classes II (with related morbidity) and III obese patients, who had undergone bariatric surgery, performed by the same surgical team of a private hospital from the city of Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil, in the period August 2001 through August 2005.  The abbreviated WHOQOL questionnaire was used.  The 11.0 SPSS software was used for statistical analysis, with 95% confidence intervals and Student`s t test. Results:  Most subjects (66.7%) were female, aged between 30 and 49 years (66.6%), white (83.3%) and with complete secondary education (44.4%). As for the benefits, 63.9% had reductions in their blood pressure, 52.8% had reductions in their blood glucose and 63.9% had reductions in their blood lipids.  Males had higher values in the question: “How would you rate your quality of life?”.  Females had higher values in the question: “How satisfied are you with your health?”. Conclusion: Bariatric surgery was effective to improve the quality of life, control obesity and reduce related comorbidities, with better control of blood glucose, lipids and pressure.