Psychosocial predictors of success after vertical banded gastroplasty.
BACKGROUND
Psychosocial and behavioral factors contribute to successful postoperative outcomes. Patients' psychological factors may be predictive of postsurgical adjustment. The identification of these factors would allow targeting patients at risk of a poor outcome. Furthermore, it would enable better patient selection and preoperative and/or postoperative counseling to improve long-term outcomes. Unfortunately, no such consistent and reproducible predictors have been found so far.


METHODS
The present study investigated in morbid obese patients who underwent vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG) the predictive value of preoperative parameters, especially health-related quality of life (HRQoL), personality, psychosocial functioning, body image, and eating behavior for 2-year changes in these variables, as well as weight loss.


RESULTS
Two years after VBG, patients had significant weight loss and reported improvements in physical HRQoL, personality and psychosocial functioning, body image, and eating behavior. Although we were not able to find psychosocial predictors of excess weight loss or excess body mass index loss 2 years after VBG, we did find psychosocial predictors of 2-year changes in HRQoL, personality and psychosocial functioning, body image, and eating behavior.


CONCLUSIONS
Preoperative psychological assessment may not be necessary with respect to weight loss. However, it is helpful in targeting patients at risk of poor psychological outcomes after VBG.
van Hout
Gerbrand C M
GC
Department of Medical Psychology, Catharina Hospital, P.O. box 1350, 5602 ZA, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. gerbrand.v.hout@cze.nl
Hagendoren
Christine A J M
CA
Verschure
Saskia K M
SK
van Heck
Guus L
GL
D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D015391:Gastroplasty / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D010551:Personality; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000523:psychology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome