Gastric banding: Some no longer diabetic

NEW YORK, June 25 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers found 40 percent of patients' diabetes went into remission after gastric banding.

In gastric banding, a surgeon places an adjustable silicone band around the upper part of the stomach to promote weight loss.

The five-year follow-up data also show improvements in an additional 43 percent of patients receiving gastric banding surgery for morbid obesity, so there was a combined improvement/remission rate of 83 percent.

The New York University Medical Center researchers analyzed 95 diabetic patients who had laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgery from January 2002 to January 2004.

Prior to surgery, the patients ranged in age from 21-68 and were morbidly obese with an average body mass index of 46. The average patient had been diagnosed with diabetes 6.5 years before the surgery.

Eighty-eight percent of the patients were taking oral medication and 15 percent were using insulin to control their diabetes.

"Our study contributes to mounting evidence that demonstrates gastric banding can have a sustained and meaningful effect on diabetes and morbid obesity and that the two diseases are interrelated," study researcher Dr. Christine Ren of their New York University School of Medicine said in a statement. "It should also be noted though that those patients who lost and maintained significant weight loss saw the greatest remission of diabetes in a shorter period of time."