“비만대사수술 효과가 지속되는지 여부는 당뇨병 치료에서 가장 중요한 질문 중 하나였다,” 존 P.키르완 박사는 말했다.
Recent findings indicate that 비만대사수술 significantly outperforms medication and lifestyle management in achieving diabetes remission over a long-term period. A new study tracking patients for an average of 11 years revealed that surgical intervention led to high rates of remission compared to nonsurgical approaches.
Study Design and Remission Rates
Researchers from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center and Harvard Medical School analyzed 262 diabetes patients with an average body mass index (BMI) of 36.4. Participants were randomly divided into groups receiving either bariatric surgery or lifestyle improvement and drug treatment, and were followed for an average of 11 years, with a maximum of 14 years. In the study, diabetes remission was defined as having a glycated hemoglobin level of less than 6.5% without the use of glucose-lowering drugs.
The results showed that 58% of patients who underwent 비만대사수술 achieved diabetes remission. In contrast, only 3% of patients in the medication and lifestyle intervention group reached remission.
Predictors of Remission and Recurrence
The analysis also identified specific factors associated with higher chances of achieving remission. Patients were more likely to succeed if they were in the early stages of a diabetes diagnosis, had not yet received insulin treatment, and took fewer types of glucose-lowering drugs prior to treatment.
Conversely, researchers evaluated factors linked to the recurrence of diabetes after achieving remission. A longer duration of the disease or taking a greater number of glucose-lowering drugs before treatment increased the likelihood of relapse.
Implications for Patient Care
The study was recently published in the American Diabetes Association (ADA) journal Diabetes Care. According to the research team, the findings allow clinicians to identify patients who are likely to achieve sustained remission, suggesting that surgery could be offered earlier to suitable candidates rather than being used merely as a last resort.
Bariatric surgery—which involves reducing stomach volume or altering the pathway of food—qualifies for health insurance under specific criteria: a BMI of 35 or higher indicating severe obesity, a BMI of 30 or higher accompanied by complications, or a BMI of 27.5 or higher with diabetes.
