Can bariatric surgery reverse type 2 diabetes?

This study examined whether bariatric surgery can reverse type 2 diabetes.

Approximately 23% of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) are obese. Bariatric surgery is known to prevent T2D in patients at risk. Bariatric surgery involves reducing the size of the stomach in order to reduce food intake and therefore promote weight loss. Bariatric surgery may be carried out by placing a gastric band around the stomach. Alternatively, an area of the stomach may be removed (sleeve gastrectomy). Another method may involve connecting the small intestine to another region of the stomach (gastric bypass). T2D patients may enter remission (no signs or symptoms of disease) after bariatric surgery. It is not clear whether one type of surgery is more likely to lead to T2D remission.

This study aimed to compare remission rates in T2D patients who underwent bariatric surgery to those who did not undergo bariatric surgery.

This study involved T2D patients divided into 2 groups. 569 participants had undergone bariatric surgery, while 1881 participants had not undergone bariatric surgery. Participants who had bariatric surgery had a gastric band, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, a sleeve gastrectomy or other form of surgery.

Participants who had bariatric surgery were 18 times more likely to have remission than patients who did not.

Participants who had a gastric bypass were 43.1 times more likely to achieve remission compared to those that did not have surgery. Participants who had a sleeve gastrectomy were 16.6 times more likely to achieve remission. Participants who had a gastric band were more 6.9 times more likely to achieve remission.

In the first 2 years after bariatric surgery, participants experienced improvements in blood glucose levels and body mass index (measure of body fat based on weight and height).

This study concluded that bariatric surgery can increase the chance of remission in T2D patients. A gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy are likely to have a greater effect compared to a gastric band.