Bariatric surgery improves outcomes of hospitalizations for acute heart failure: a contemporary, nationwide analysis

Background: The link between obesity and poor outcomes in heart failure (HF) has been wellestablished.Objectives: This retrospective study sought to examine national rates and outcomes of acute HF hospitalizations in obese individuals with a prior history of bariatric surgery.Setting: Academic, university-affiliated; the United States.Methods: Adult admissions (>18 years) including a diagnosis of severe obesity were identified in the 2016-2019 Nationwide Readmissions Database. Patients who previously underwent bariatric operations were categorized into the Bariatric cohort. Multivariable linear and logistic models were used to assess the association of prior bariatric surgery with outcomes of interest.Results: Of an estimated 10,343,828 admissions for a diagnosis of severe obesity, 925,716 (8.9%) comprised the bariatric cohort. After risk adjustment, bariatric surgery was associated with significantly decreased odds of acute HF hospitalization (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: .40, 95% confidence interval [CI]: .38-.41). Among acute HF hospitalizations, prior bariatric surgery was linked to lower odds of mortality (AOR: .68, 95% CI: .52-.89), prolonged mechanical ventilation (AOR .44, 95% CI: .32-.61), acute renal failure (AOR: .76, 95% CI: .70-.82), and prolonged hospitalization (AOR: .77, 95% CI: .68-.87). Bariatric surgery was linked to a decrement of 1 day (95% CI: .7-1.1) and $1200 in hospitalization costs (95% CI: 400-1900), but no significant difference in odds of 30-day readmission.Conclusions: Bariatric surgery is associated with reduced admissions for acute HF. Among acute HF hospitalizations, bariatric surgery is linked to significantly improved clinical and financial outcomes. Given its potential benefits in obesity and related diseases, bariatric surgery holds promise for promoting value-based healthcare for HF. (Surg Obes Relat Dis 2023;19:681-687.)& COPY; 2023 American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Automated summary

The link between obesity and poor outcomes in heart failure has been well established, and this retrospective study examined the rates and outcomes of acute heart failure hospitalizations in obese individuals with a history of bariatric surgery. The study found that bariatric surgery was associated with a decreased odds of acute heart failure hospitalization and improved clinical and financial outcomes.