Background: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) and eating disorders may affect the outcomes of bariatric surgery. This study was aimed to evaluate the influence of a post-operative dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) intervention on weight loss and comorbidities in a sample of comorbid obese Italian patients with BPD traits and bulimia tendencies who underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB).
Methods: One hundred fifty-four LRYGB or LAGB patients showing BPD and bulimia traits and type II diabetes, hypertension, and/or sleep apnea (OSAS) voluntarily adhered to DBT (n = 72) or treatment as usual (n = 82) for 12 months after surgery. Total weight loss (%TWL) and remission/improvement of comorbidities were considered as outcomes. Differences between treatment groups and between LRYGB and LAGB subgroups were evaluated through Student's t test for TWL and chi-square test for comorbidities.
Results: DBT was more effective than treatment as usual (TAU) in reducing weight loss (p < .001). Reduction of comorbidities was higher in patients treated with DBT, as for diabetes (p = .68), hypertension (p = .02), and OSAS (p = .03). LRYGB outcomes seem to be significantly better than those of LAGB, mainly in TAU group.
Conclusion: Our findings confirm the effectiveness of DBT in enhancing post-bariatric weight loss and reduction of comorbidities in patients showing BPD traits and bulimia tendencies. Further in-depth investigations and a longer follow-up are needed to strengthen these results.
Keywords: Bariatric surgery; Borderline personality disorder; Bulimia; Diabetes; Dialectical behavioral therapy; Hypertension; OSAS.