Does Helicobacter pylori Infection Affect Postoperative Outcomes after Bariatric Surgery?

Objective: The impact of Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection on postoperative outcomes remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between HP infection and postoperative outcomes, including the percentage of postoperative excessive weight loss (%EWL) at 3, 6, and 12 months and post-surgical complications.Material and Methods: This study involved a retrospective cohort study of 173 patients who underwent weight loss surgery at Thammasat University Hospital, Thailand, between 2015 and 2023. Participants met the indications for bariatric surgery and were preoperatively screened for HP infection. Results: The majority of the participants were female (77.3%). The mean age and preoperative BMI were 35.3±8.1 years old and 44.2±9.4 kg/m2 respectively. Seventy-five patients (43.3%) tested positive for HP infection. Baseline characteristics were similar between the HP-positive and non-HP groups. The %EWL of the HP-positive group at 3, 6 and 12 months was 42.72, 62 and 74, respectively. For the non-HP group, the %EWL at 3, 6 and 12 months was 36, 57 and 70.5, respectively. No statistically significant difference of %EWL was observed between the 2 groups. Postoperative adverse effects were reported with no statistically significant difference between the groups. In the HP-positive group, complications were observed in 5 patients (6.7%), whereas in the non-HP group 7 patients (7.14%) had complications. Conclusion: HP infection did not influence postoperative weight loss outcomes or complications after bariatric surgery.