Introduction:
Ethnic diversity affects clinical outcomes for many patients, among them patients with morbid obesity undergoing bariatric surgeries. Morbid obesity prevalence is higher in Israeli-Arabs compared to Israeli-Jews, partially due to lower socioeconomic status coupled with lower education levels.
Material and methods:
Data on all patients who underwent Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy (LSG) in our university-affiliated single center were included in a prospectively maintained database under IRB approval. A dedicated bariatric surgeon’s team operated on all patients, using a similar operative technique.
Results:
Between 2009 and 2022, 892 patients underwent LSG at our department, 262 Israeli-Arabs and 630 Israeli-Jews. Most of the Israeli-Jews had tertiary education, compared to less than a third of the Israeli-Arabs (%, 30 vs 52, p=0.00). The Israeli-Arab group was significantly younger (years, 35 vs 45 p=0.00), with feminine dominancy (female gender %, 82 vs 67, p=0.00), healthier in terms of Diabetes mellitus (%, 20 ns 28, p=0.010), Hypertension (%, 21 vs 32, p=0.00), and Dyslipidemia (%, 27 vs 39 p = 0.00). The operative BMI was higher for the Israeli-Arab group (mean, 45 vs 43, p=0.00) as well as the Excess Body Weight (mean, KG, 54 vs 49, p=0.00). The perioperative period was similar in terms of 30-day complication rates, leak rates, re-operation, and re-admission rates. The long-term results show similarity in terms of 2 years % Excess weight Loss (EWL) (%, 78 vs 80, p=0.24) and 5 years %EWL (%, 65 vs 70, p=0.41). The impact on co-morbidities was similarly high; Diabetes mellitus remission (%, 64 vs 67, p=0.81), Hypertension remission (%, 65 vs 65, p=0.91), Dyslipidemia remission (%, 52 vs 56, p=0.93).
Conclusions:
Israeli demography leads to significant differences between the two groups, nevertheless, those noteworthy and important differences between the groups did not translate to a more complicated perioperative course, nor poorer long-term results. Both groups gain equally and significantly from this operation.
