Background
Bariatric surgery can be a life lengthening procedure. However, there are risks including nutritional deficiencies. The existing literature reveals a wide range of pre- and post-operative deficiency rates. This study examined the extent of Vitamin A deficiency in our bariatric surgery population.
Methods
Patients undergoing bariatric surgery at an academic medical center between March 30, 2015, and November 30, 2023, were categorized into restrictive or malabsorptive procedure groups. Patient demographic, biometric characteristics, and laboratory data were extracted from the electronic health record. Vitamin A deficiency rates were compared between time points and between type of surgery.
Results
Vitamin A deficiency was present in 9.1% of patients prior to surgery. Among patients with normal preoperative laboratory values, Vitamin A deficiency developed in 21.8% after bariatric surgery. The rate of newly developed Vitamin A deficiency was significantly higher in patients who had malabsorptive procedures 21.6% compared with restrictive procedures 15.5% (p=0.048). Finally, among patients with preoperative Vitamin A deficiencies, 71.9% remained deficient 6 months postoperatively.
Conclusions
While our post-operative rate of Vitamin A deficiency aligns with existing literature, the high pre-operative rate underscores the importance of comprehensive nutritional screening for all bariatric patients, with an emphasis on both pre- and postoperative optimization. Our study emphasizes the need for further research to explore the long-term consequences of nutritional deficiencies on quality of life and overall health.