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The Effect of Bariatric Surgery on Patient HRQOL and Sexual Health During a 1-Year Postoperative Period

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Abstract

Background

Negative consequences of the obesity epidemic include decreased physical, psychological, and sexual health. Bariatric surgery is a well-tolerated and effective treatment for morbid obesity. This study aimed to determine the effect of bariatric surgery on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and sexual functioning and to identify potential predictors of this effect.

Methods

Eighty morbidly obese patients (50 women) completed the study. HRQOL was measured using the Short Form 36 questionnaire (SF-36). Sexual functioning was assessed using the Female Sexual Functioning Index (FSFI) and the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF). All participants were evaluated four times as follows: presurgery (T1), 1 month (T2), 6 months (T3), and 1 year (T4) after surgery.

Results

Body mass index (BMI) significantly decreased over time (p < 0.001). Apart from male orgasm, all sexual functioning components as well as all SF-36 sub-scales improved between T1 and T4. The maximum improvement was observed between T2 and T3. Baseline HRQOL scores correlated with postoperative improvement in all HRQOL components. BMI improvement was correlated with improvement in role physical, bodily pain, and mental health scores. Baseline total sexual satisfaction score independently predicted total satisfaction improvement in both genders.

Conclusions

The present findings indicate that bariatric surgery represents an effective obesity treatment, leading to significant BMI reduction and improvement in HRQOL and sexual functioning, especially in the first 6 months postoperatively.

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Conflicts of Interest

All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, University of Patras, Medical School, Rion, Patras, Greece

    Katerina Karaivazoglou, Philippos Gourzis & Konstantinos Assimakopoulos

  2. Nutrition Support and Morbid Obesity Clinic, Department of Surgery, University of Patras, Medical School, Rion, Patras, Greece

    Fotios Kalfarentzos

  3. Department of Endocrinology, University of Patras, Medical School, Rion, Patras, Greece

    Vasileios Efthymiou & Theodoros K. Alexandrides

  4. Department of Psychiatry, University of Ioannina School of Medicine, Ioannina, Greece

    Thomas Hyphantis

Authors
  1. Vasileios Efthymiou
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  2. Thomas Hyphantis
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  3. Katerina Karaivazoglou
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  4. Philippos Gourzis
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  5. Theodoros K. Alexandrides
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  6. Fotios Kalfarentzos
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  7. Konstantinos Assimakopoulos
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Correspondence to Konstantinos Assimakopoulos.

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Efthymiou, V., Hyphantis, T., Karaivazoglou, K. et al. The Effect of Bariatric Surgery on Patient HRQOL and Sexual Health During a 1-Year Postoperative Period. OBES SURG 25, 310–318 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-014-1384-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-014-1384-x

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