A 1-year videoconferencing-based psychoeducational group intervention following bariatric surgery: results of a randomized controlled study

Background: For severely obese patients, bariatric surgery has been recommended as an effective therapy. Objectives: The Bariataric Surgery and Education (BaSE) study aimed to assess the efficacy of a videoconferencing-based psychoeducational group intervention in patients after bariatric surgery. Setting: The BaSE study is a randomized, controlled multicenter clinical trial involving 117 patients undergoing bariatric surgery (mean preoperative body mass index [BMI] 49.9 kg/m(2), SD 6.4). Patients were enrolled between May 2009 and November 2012 and were randomly assigned to receive either conventional postsurgical visits or, in addition, a videoconferencing-based 1-year group program. Methods: Primary outcome measures were weight in kilograms, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and general self-efficacy (GSE). Secondary outcome measures were depression symptoms and eating behavior. Results: 94% of the patients completed the study. Mean weight loss for all patients was 45.9 kg (SD 16.4) 1 year after surgery (mean excess weight loss [EWL] 63%). Intention-to-treat analyses revealed no differences in weight loss, EWL, HRQOL, or self-efficacy between study groups at 1 year after surgery. However, patients with clinically significant depression symptoms (CSD) at baseline assigned to the intervention group (n = 29) had a significantly better HRQOL (P = .03), lower depression scores (P = .02), and a trend for a better EWL (.06) 1 year after surgery compared with the control group (n = 20). Conclusion: We could not prove the efficacy of the group program for the whole study sample. However, results indicate that the intervention is effective for the important subgroup of patients with CSD.