Aims This study aims to evaluate the long-term effect of bariatric surgery on cardiovascular outcomes of patients with obesity. Methods and results A nested cohort study was carried out within the Clinical Practice Research Datalink. The study cohort included the 3701 patients on the database who had undergone bariatric surgery and 3701 age, gender, and body mass index-matched controls. The primary endpoint was the composite of fatal or non-fatal myocardial infarction and fatal or non-fatal ischaemic stroke. Secondary endpoints included fatal or non-fatal myocardial infarction alone, fatal or non-fatal ischaemic stroke alone, incident heart failure, and mortality. The median follow-up achieved was 11.2 years. Patients who had undergone bariatric surgery had a significantly lower occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events [hazard ratio (HR) 0.410, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.274–0.615; P < 0.001]. This was mainly driven by a reduction in myocardial infarction (HR 0.412, 95% CI 0.280–0.606; P < 0.001) and not in acute ischaemic stroke (HR 0.536, 95% CI 0.164–1.748; P = 0.301). A reduction was also observed in new diagnoses of heart failure (HR 0.403, 95% CI 0.181–0.897; P = 0.026) and mortality (HR 0.254, 95% CI 0.183–0.353; P < 0.001). Conclusion The results of this large, nationwide cohort study support the association of bariatric surgery with lower long-term risk of major cardiovascular events and incident heart failure in patients with obesity.

Background Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an increasingly common disorder associated with increased cardiovascular disease, mortality, reduced productivity, and an increased risk of road traffic accidents. A significant proportion of patients with OSA in the UK are undiagnosed. This study aims to identify risk factors for OSA in an obese cohort. Method A population-based study was conducted of obese patients (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD). A logistic regression model was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for developing OSA according to other clinicopathological characteristics. Multivariate analysis was conducted of individual factors that affect the propensity to develop OSA. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.050. Results From 276,600 obese patients identified during a data extraction of the CPRD in July 2017, the prevalence of OSA was 5.4%. The following risk factors were found to be independently associated with increased likelihood of OSA: male sex (OR = 3.273; p < 0.001), BMI class II (OR = 1.640; p < 0.001), BMI class III (OR = 3.768; p < 0.001), smoking (OR = 1.179; p < 0.001), COPD (OR = 1.722; p < 0.001), GERD (OR = 1.557; p < 0.001), hypothyroidism (OR = 1.311; p < 0.001), acromegaly (OR = 3.543; p < 0.001), and benzodiazepine use (OR = 1.492; p < 0.001). Bariatric surgery was associated with reduced risk of OSA amongst this obese population (OR = 0.260; p < 0.001). Conclusions In obese patients, there are numerous comorbidities that are associated with increased likelihood of OSA. These factors can help prompt clinicians to identify undiagnosed OSA. Bariatric surgery appears to be protective against developing OSA.

Purpose Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a syndrome that is characterized by persistently high intracranial pressure and associated with high rates of morbidity and visual loss. Its exact etiology and clinical picture is poorly understood, but it is known to be associated with obesity. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and clinical manifestations of IIH using a large nationwide database of British subjects. Materials and methods The anonymized healthcare records of patients with a BMI of ≥ 30 kg/m 2 were extracted from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), and analyzed. Results The patients with IIH were older and more likely to have peripheral vascular disease, ischemic heart disease, and anemia; to have had a previous myocardial infarction; and have used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and steroids. Multivariate analysis with adjustment for confounders showed that anemia ( p = 0.033) and the use of NSAIDs ( p = 0.011) were the only factors independently associated with IIH. Increases in BMI beyond the threshold of obesity did not independently increase risk of IIH. Conclusions IIH is a multifactorial disease; the risk of which is increased in patients with a background of anemia, and those who use NSAIDs. Across BMI categories beyond the threshold for obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m 2 ), there is no continuation of the previously described “dose-response” relationship between BMI and IIH. Ethical approval Scientific approval for the study was granted from the Regulatory Agency’s Independent Scientific Advisory Committee and ethical approval by the Health Research Authority IRAS Project ID: 203143. ISAC approval registration number 16_140R2.