Weight-loss surgery may prevent kidney disease, failure

Undergoing bariatric surgery may significantly lower the risk of developing severe chronic kidney disease and kidney failure, according to a study.
Obesity is a dangerous condition and goes hand in hand with elevated blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases and Type-2 diabetes, which in turn may lead to complications such as chronic kidney disease.

Obesity is also an independent risk factor in developing chronic kidney disease. Different obesity treatment strategies include life style interventions, dietary modification, pharmacological and surgical treatment.

The findings showed that patients with evidence of kidney damage -- high levels of protein in the urine -- benefited most from surgical treatment, indicating that surgery prevents progression of pre-existing kidney injury towards renal failure.

"The study reported long-term effects of bariatric surgery compared to usual obesity care on incidence of end-stage renal disease alone and in combination with chronic kidney disease stage 4," said A. Shulman, from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden.

For the study, published in the International Journal of Obesity, over 4,000 patients aged 37-60 years with obesity were followed for more than 20 years. Half of the patients received weight-loss surgery, and the other half were treated with conventional non-surgical methods in the primary health care.

These results add to a large body of evidence which demonstrates that bariatric surgery, reduces mortality, improves type 2 diabetes and prevents cardiovascular disease and cancer, the researchers added.