Weight-loss surgery may lower risk of kidney disease, failure

London: A new study suggests that going through a weight loss surgery may lower the risk of developing kidney disease and kidney failure.

Obesity is a condition involving excessive body fat that increases the risk of developing serious health problems such as blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases and Type-2 diabetes.

Obesity is also an independent risk factor in developing chronic kidney disease. Different obesity treatment strategies include lifestyle interventions, dietary modification, pharmacological and surgical treatment.

The study showed that patients with evidence of kidney damage -- high levels of protein in the urine -- benefited most from surgical treatment, indicating that surgery prevents progression of pre-existing kidney injury towards renal failure.

A. Shulman, from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden said,"The study reported long-term effects of bariatric surgery compared to usual obesity care on incidence of end-stage renal disease alone and in combination with chronic kidney disease stage 4."

For the study, over 4,000 patients aged 37-60 years with obesity were followed for more than 20 years.

Half of the patients received weight-loss surgery, and the other half were treated with conventional non-surgical methods in the primary health care.

Researchers said, these results add to a large body of evidence which demonstrates that bariatric surgery, reduces mortality, improves type 2 diabetes and prevents cardiovascular disease and cancer.

The study was published in the International Journal of Obesity.

(With IANS inputs)