Racial Disparity in 30-Day Outcomes of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery

There is evidence of racial disparity in the long-term weight loss outcomes of bariatric surgery. However, there has been a more limited evaluation of the impact of race on immediate perioperative outcomes. The aim of this study was to compare 30-day postoperative outcomes among different races.

The 2016 Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) database was queried to identify patients aged ≥ 18 and body mass index ≥ 35 who underwent primary laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) or laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) with known information on race. We then evaluated the effect of five different races on four different 30-day outcomes.

Of the total 106,932 patients (79.5% White, 19.3% African American (AA), 0.5% Asian, 0.4% American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.3% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander), 30-day rates of postoperative complication, readmission, re-intervention, and reoperation were 6, 3.8, 1.3, and 1.2%, respectively. After controlling for other covariates in multivariate logistic regression and selecting White as reference, AA was the only race associated with a higher risk of postoperative complications (odds ratio [OR] 1.13; confidence interval [CI] 1.06–1.2) and readmissions (OR 1.47; CI 1.3–1.6). AA and American Indian or Alaska Native were also associated with higher re-interventions (OR 1.31; CI 1.15–1.51 and OR 2.11; CI 1.03–4.34). Furthermore, AA was associated with lower 30-day reoperations (OR 0.83; CI 0.7–0.9).

This study found significant racial differences in short-term outcomes following bariatric surgery. Factors underlying these disparities are unclear and warrant further investigation.