Knee, Hip Pain Reduced Via Bariatric Surgery

A new prospective study of patients undergoing weight-loss surgery at 10 different hospitals across the U.S. has found that in the three years following bariatric surgery, most patients experience an improvement in pain and walking ability. These preliminary results were the findings of a University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health-led analysis. The National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded study also found key patient characteristics that point to which people are the most and the least likely to see improvement.

“Our study found that clinically meaningful improvements in bodily pain, specific joint pain and both perceived and objectively measured physical function are common following bariatric surgery. In particular, walking is easier, which impacts patients’ ability to adopt a more physically active lifestyle. However, some patients continue to have significant pain and disability, ” said lead author Wendy King, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology at Pitt Public Health, in the November 4, 2015 news release. “Our hope is that these data will help patients and clinicians develop realistic expectations regarding the impact of bariatric surgery on these aspects of their lives.”

Dr. King told OTW, “In brief, the Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery-2 (LABS-2) study was designed to evaluate longer-term safety and efficacy of bariatric surgery. When the study was being designed, the study investigators recognized that severe obesity is associated with significant joint pain and physical limitations. In particular, osteoarthritis is a major limiting co-morbid condition among adults undergoing bariatric surgery. Thus, this study included measures of joint-specific pain and function, as well as general measures of bodily pain and physical function, objective assessment of walking capacity, and pain medication use.”

“Prior to bariatric surgery, approximately 38% of patients reported severe pain or disability in their knees and 30% reported severe pain or disability in their hip. Of those patients, over 70% experienced clinically meaningful improvements in symptoms indicative of osteoarthritis, as measured by the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, through three years of follow-up. Those who were younger, had a higher income, and had fewer depressive symptoms prior to surgery were more likely to experience improvement. Greater weight loss and a larger decrease in depressive symptoms following surgery were also related to higher likelihood of improvements.”