Diabetes remission and glycemic response to pre-bariatric surgery diet

BackgroundBefore bariatric surgery, some patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) experience improvement in blood glucose control and reduced insulin requirements while on a preoperative low-calorie diet (LCD). We hypothesized that patients who exhibit a significant glycemic response to this diet are more likely to experience remission of their diabetes in the postoperative period.Materials and methodsInsulin-dependent T2DM patients undergoing bariatric surgery between August 2006 and February 2011 were eligible for inclusion. Insulin requirements at day 0 and 10 of the LCD were compared. Patients with a ≥50% reduction in total insulin dosage to maintain appropriate blood glucose control were considered rapid responders to the preoperative LCD. All others were non–rapid responders. We analyzed T2DM remission rates up to 1 y postoperatively.ResultsA total of 51 patients met inclusion criteria and 29 were categorized as rapid responders (57%). The remaining 22 were considered non–rapid responders (43%). The two groups did not differ demographically. Rapid responders had greater T2DM remission rates at 6 (44% versus 13.6%; P = 0.02) and 12 mo (72.7% versus 5.9%; P < 0.01). In patients undergoing laparoscopic gastric bypass, rapid responders showed greater excess weight loss at 3 mo (40.1% versus 28.2%; P < 0.01), 6 mo (55.2% versus 40.2%; P < 0.01), and 12 mo (67.7% versus 47.3%; P < 0.01).ConclusionsInsulin-dependent T2DM bariatric surgery patients who display a rapid glycemic response to the preoperative LCD are more likely to experience early remission of T2DM postoperatively and greater weight loss.