Profile of obese patients with metabolic syndrome eligible for bariatric surgery at a private clinic in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil ; Perfil do paciente obeso e portador de síndrome metabólica candidato à cirurgia bariátrica em uma clínica particular de Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul

Aims: To describe the sociodemographic and biochemical profiles, presence of comorbidities, lifestyles, and drug utilization of obese patients with metabolic syndrome eligible for bariatric surgery.Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included metabolic syndrome patients with class I, II, and III obesity treated at a specialized clinic in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, who were candidates for bariatric surgery. The patients were seen between January 2007 and March 2014 and the data for the study were collected from medical records. The following variables were investigated: age, sex, education, marital status, comorbidities, biochemical markers, drug utilization, smoking history, history of childhood overweight, and sleep quality. Patients were classified as class I obesity (BMI = 30 to 34.9), class II obesity (BMI = 35 to 39.9), and class III, or severe, obesity (BMI≥40). The diagnosis of metabolic syndrome was established according to the International Diabetes Federation.Results: A total of 198 subjects (83.8% of whom were women and 68.7% were married) with a mean age of 40.5±11.1 years (range of 21-69 years) were evaluated. Most of the patients (37.4%) were 30 to 39 years old. With regard to health, 77.3% of the patients had hypertension, 75.8% had dyslipidemia, and 75.3% had gastritis, and it should be noted that 67.2% of the patients were on antihypertensive medications and 42.9% on psychiatric drugs. A median of 0.81 (0.70-0.97mg/dL) was obtained for C-reactive protein levels. One hundred and thirteen patients (57%) reported having had excessive weight in childhood. Poor sleep quality was mentioned by 61 (31%) of individuals.Conclusions: Most individuals with class I, II, and III obesity and metabolic syndrome who sought care at the bariatric surgery clinic were young, adult, and married women with a college degree or higher education presenting with several comorbidities in addition to excess weight and inflammatory conditions. Other common findings included sleep disorders, ...