A185 - Body Contouring Surgery following Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass in the Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery-2 Cohort

Abstract

gastric bypass (RYGB) patients become intoxicated remarkably fast and reach peak blood alcohol concentrations that are surprisingly high (Steffen et al., 2013). Additionally, data also suggests that patients are more likely to meet criteria for an alcohol use disorder following RYGB (King et al., 2012). Further, the surgical procedure that patients undergo may have an impact on alcoholrelated outcomes: laparoscopic adjustable band patients appear to be less likely to have problems with alcohol than gastric bypass patients (Ostlund, 2011). Methods: Although we know that patients are at an increased risk for problems with alcohol after surgery, we know very little about the patients who have such problems. The current study aimed to gain a better understanding of patients who report having alcohol problems after surgery. To enter the study participants had to: 1) have received RYGB or Sleeve Gastrectomy surgery in the past 14 years, 2) be 21 years of age or older, and 3) have self-reported problems with alcohol use after surgery. Qualifiers completed a number of paper-and-pencil self-report assessments and interviews, including the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, portions of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, and the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test. Results: At the time of abstract submission 54 people had been screened and 24 participants qualified and completed the protocol. Participants’ age ranged from 27 to 60 with a mean of 43.9 (SD1⁄410.6 years) and twenty-one (87.5%) of the participants were female.Participants completed the protocol an average of 2.2 years after surgery (SD1⁄41.0). Participants mean score on the AUDIT was 21.9 (SD1⁄46.6) with a range of 12 to 36. Before surgery 18.8% of the sample most frequently drank wine, compared with 37.5% of the sample after surgery.Before surgery 31.3% of the sample reported drinking beer most frequently, compared with 12.5% after surgery. Finally, 37.5% of the sample most often drank liquor before surgery and 43.8% did so after surgery. Based on data from the SCID, in the six months prior to surgery less than ten percent of participants reported abuse of alcohol and none reported dependence. After surgery approximately one-third of the sample reported alcohol abuse and half reported dependence. Conclusion: Based on these findings, it appears that although many of the participants met DSM-IV criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence after surgery, surprisingly few of them reported having significant problems with alcohol in the six months prior to surgery. Also, we found that people report drinking beer as their “drink of choice” less frequently and wine and liquor more frequently after surgery.