Preoperatively determinable factors predictive of diabetes mellitus remission following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: a review of the literature

It is well established that weight loss in general and bariatric surgery in particular can improve glycaemic control in diabetics. Current NICE guidelines recommend that those patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and a BMI of 35 kg/m² or more should be considered for bariatric surgery in order to optimise their glycaemic control and minimise their risk of long-term complications. The commonest bariatric procedure in the UK is the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass that has been shown to result in long-standing type 2 diabetes resolution in 83 % of patients. Since such surgery carries a small but significant risk of mortality, as well as posing considerable lifestyle implications for the patient, numerous studies have been performed with a view to identifying which patients and which procedures are most likely to result in these desired benefits. This paper summarises the existing literature on this topic.