Patients with urinary incontinence reported durable improvements seven years after bariatric surgery, according to outcomes from the Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery 2 (LABS-2) study. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health. The outcomes were published in a research letter, ‘Seven-Year Durability of Improvements in Urinary Incontinence After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and Sleeve Gastrectomy’, in JAMA Network Open.
Dr Wendy C King, epidemiologist at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, and colleagues followed 1,227 men and women enrolled in the LABS-2 study. Participants, who had a median age of 46 prior to surgery, were surveyed about urinary incontinence episode frequency before and annually after surgery.
“Obesity is a risk factor for urinary incontinence, which negatively affects quality of life,” said King. “Durable improvement in urinary incontinence is an important benefit of modern-day bariatric surgical procedures, which should be discussed with patients with severe obesity when making treatment decisions.”
Preoperatively, 52% of female participants reported at least weekly urinary incontinence, which fell to 20% at year three postoperative and was 30% at year seven; among males, 25% reported at least weekly urinary incontinence preoperatively, which fell to 10% at year three and 15% at year seven.
The researchers said that, despite a small backslide from years three to seven, when some weight regain is common, the continued durability of these improvements is particularly notable given the increased risk of urinary incontinence that would be expected due to aging.
To access the research letter, please click here