The Impact of Rapid Weight Loss on Pain in Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic/Latino/a/x Adults with Obesity

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Significant weight loss with bariatric surgery improves self-reported pain, but the impact of weight loss on pain severity, interference, and number of painful sites after bariatric surgery, specifically in ethnically diverse adults, is unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine longitudinal changes and racial differences in pain intensity, interference, and number of sites 12 months after bariatric surgery. This is a secondary analysis from a study of patients undergoing a sleeve gastrectomy. Participants completed the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) before surgery (BL), 3 months post-surgery (3M) and 12 months post-surgery (12M). Weight loss was calculated as a percentage of weight lost minus baseline weight (%TWL). Racial group differences were analyzed using t-test or Wilcoxon rank-sum test. A linear regression model was fitted to test which factors were associated with pain change (p <0.05). Data from 213 adults were analyzed (Mean(SD)) Age: 39.7(12.0); BMI: 43.3(6.4); Peak %TWL: 28.4(7.6); BPI Severity: 4.2(2.8); BPI Interference: 3.7(3.0); pain sites: 6.3(6.3). There were significant reductions in pain intensity, pain interference, and in the number of painful sites that plateaued between 3M and 12M. Hispanic/Latino/a/x and NH Black patients have greater pain severity at BL, but not at 3M and 12M compared with NH White patients. Hispanic/Latino/a/x participants have a significantly greater number of painful sites compared with other racial groups at BL but not at 3M and 12M. There was a trend toward higher %TWL being associated with a greater reduction in pain interference between BL and 3M. Findings from this study suggest that pain reduction after weight loss is influenced by time and race. Pain assessment during the early and late stages of weight loss could help clinicians use culturally informed strategies to address pain after rapid weight loss in ethnically diverse adults. Grant support from NYU Grossman School of Medicine Office of Research (internally funded, no grant number).