Bariatric Surgery in Prior Solid Organ Transplantation Patients: Is Race a Predictor of Adverse Outcomes?

PURPOSE Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) is increasingly performed in patients with previous solid organ transplantation (PSOT). In addition, controversy remains about whether racial disparity in outcomes following MBS exists. Therefore, the aim of this analysis was to determine if race independently predicts outcomes in MBS patients with PSOT. MATERIALS AND METHODS Patients with PSOT undergoing sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) were identified in the 2017 Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation Quality and Improvement Project (MBSAQIP) database. Patients were stratified by race (Black and White). Propensity score matching was utilized to adjust for multiple demographic variables. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed for overall and bariatric-related morbidity. RESULTS Of 335 MBS patients with PSOT, 250 (75%) were white and 85 (25%) were black patents. Procedure-type and surgical approach (p > 0.1) were similarly distributed. Black patients were more likely (p   0.5). In the matched analysis, black patients had higher overall (17% vs. 10%, p = 0.12) and bariatric-related morbidity (14% vs. 7.2%, p = 0.05). In addition, black patients had significantly (p < 0.05) higher rates of postoperative pneumonias, progressive renal insufficiency, and emergency department visits. On multivariable regression analysis, black race did not independently predict overall or bariatric-related morbidity. CONCLUSION MBS in racial cohorts with PSOT is safe, with very low rates of overall morbidity and mortality. Black race trended toward increased postoperative morbidity. Larger cohort studies are needed to validate our findings.