title: A 1-year videoconferencing-based psychoeducational group intervention following bariatric surgery: results of a randomized controlled study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  For severely obese patients, bariatric surgery has been recommended as an effective therapy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The Bariataric Surgery and Education (BaSE) study aimed to assess the efficacy of a videoconferencing-based psychoeducational group intervention in patients after bariatric surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  The BaSE study is a randomized, controlled multicenter clinical trial involving 117 patients undergoing bariatric surgery (mean preoperative body mass index [BMI] 49.9 kg/m(2), SD 6.4). Patients were enrolled between May 2009 and November 2012 and were randomly assigned to receive either conventional postsurgical visits or, in addition, a videoconferencing-based 1-year group program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary outcome measures were weight in kilograms, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and general self-efficacy (GSE). Secondary outcome measures were depression symptoms and eating behavior.
  
  
  RESULTS
  94% of the patients completed the study. Mean weight loss for all patients was 45.9 kg (SD 16.4) 1 year after surgery (mean excess weight loss [EWL] 63%). Intention-to-treat analyses revealed no differences in weight loss, EWL, HRQOL, or self-efficacy between study groups at 1 year after surgery. However, patients with clinically significant depression symptoms (CSD) at baseline assigned to the intervention group (n = 29) had a significantly better HRQOL (P = .03), lower depression scores (P = .02), and a trend for a better EWL (.06) 1 year after surgery compared with the control group (n = 20).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We could not prove the efficacy of the group program for the whole study sample. However, results indicate that the intervention is effective for the important subgroup of patients with CSD.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. Electronic address: beate.wild@med.uni-heidelberg.de.
authors.forename: Beate
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wild
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hünnemeyer
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Helene
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sauer
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hain
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mack
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schellberg
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Beat Peter
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Müller-Stich
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Hospital Sachsenhausen, Heidelberg, Frankfurt.
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weiner
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Meile
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine I and Clinical Chemistry, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Gottfried
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rudofsky
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Königsrainer
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zipfel
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Herzog
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Teufel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050110:Bariatric Surgery / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000601:surgery*; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D049269:Videoconferencing; D015431:Weight Loss
keywords: Depression; Group intervention; Obesity surgery; Psychoeducational; RCT; Videoconferencing