title: Cause of death in patients awaiting bariatric surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Obesity is associated with increased mortality. Bariatric surgery is becoming an important treatment modality for obesity, with an associated reduction in mortality. There are few data available on the incidence and cause of death in referred patients while they are waiting for bariatric surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively examined all cases of death in patients who were referred for bariatric surgery assessment but who had not yet undergone bariatric surgery at a tertiary care centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The wait list comprised patients referred for surgery between March 2008 and May 2013. All cases of death were reviewed to determine age, sex, time of referral, time spent on the wait list, cause of death, comorbidities and body mass index (BMI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 1399 patients referred, 22 (1.57%) died before receiving surgery. The mean age of these patients was 62.7 (range of 32-70) years. The average time from referral to death was 21.6 months, and the average BMI was 51.5. The most frequent cause of death was cancer, followed by cardiac and infectious causes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides useful information about mortality and causes of death among patients awaiting bariatric surgery at our centre. Our results will help guide the development of a judicious system for triage in light of long wait times.
authors.affiliation: The Department Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS.
authors.forename: Joshua M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lakoff
authors.affiliation: The Department of General Surgery, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ellsmere
authors.affiliation: The Department Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ransom
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D050110:Bariatric Surgery; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000401:mortality; D002423:Cause of Death; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D009674:Nova Scotia / Q000453:epidemiology; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014850:Waiting Lists