Multidisciplinary diabetes care with and without bariatric surgery in overweight people: a randomised controlled trial

Background Bariatric surgery improves glycaemia in obese people with type 2 diabetes, but its effects are uncertain in overweight people with this disease. We aimed to identify whether laparoscopic adjustable gastric band surgery can improve glucose control in people with type 2 diabetes who were overweight but not obese. Methods We did an open-label, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial between Nov 1, 2009, and June 30, 2013, at one centre in Melbourne, Australia. Patients aged 18–65 years with type 2 diabetes and a BMI between 25 and 30 kg/m2 were randomly assigned (1:1), by computer-generated random sequence, to receive either multidisciplinary diabetes care plus laparoscopic adjustable gastric band surgery or multidisciplinary diabetes care alone. The primary outcome was diabetes remission 2 years after randomisation, defined as glucose concentrations of less than 7·0 mmol/L when fasting and less than 11·1 mmol/L 2 h after 75 g oral glucose, at least two days after stopping glucose-lowering drugs. Analysis was by intention to treat. This trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, number ACTRN12609000286246. Findings 51 patients were randomised to the multidisciplinary care plus gastric band group (n=25) or the multidisciplinary care only group (n=26), of whom 23 participants and 25 participants, respectively, completed follow-up to 2 years. 12 (52%) participants in the multidisciplinary care plus gastric band group and two (8%) participants in the multidisciplinary care only group achieved diabetes remission (difference in proportions 0·44, 95% CI 0·17–0·71; p=0·0012). One (4%) participant in the gastric band group needed revisional surgery and four others (17%) had a total of five episodes of food intolerance due to excessive adjustment of the band. Interpretation When added to multidisciplinary care, laparoscopic adjustable gastric band surgery for overweight people with type 2 diabetes improves glycaemic control with an acceptable adverse event profile. Laparoscopic adjustable gastric band surgery is a reasonable treatment option for this population. Funding Monash University Centre for Obesity Research and Education and Allergan.