Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25537297›Full record

SynthesisObesity surgery2015

Bariatric Surgery or Non-Surgical Weight Loss for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea? A Systematic Review and Comparison of Meta-analyses.

Hutan Ashrafian, Tania Toma, Simon P Rowland, Leanne Harling, Alan Tan, Evangelos Efthimiou, Ara Darzi, Thanos Athanasiou

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Obesity surgery, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 65 papers, 9 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
65citing papers in PubMed, 9 pooled it
7.5field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

65 citing papers in PubMed, 9 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 194 citations in OpenAlex.

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  14. Chinese Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Surgical Treatment of Adult Obstructive Sleep Apnea (2024).World journal of otorhinolaryngology - head and neck surgery · 2026
    Article
  15. [Surgical treatment of adult obstructive sleep apnea].Lin chuang er bi yan hou tou jing wai ke za zhi = Journal of clinical otorhinolaryngology head and neck surgery · 2026
    Review
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5 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Hutan AshrafianThe Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London. 10th Floor, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (QEQM) Building, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust at St Mary's Hospital, Praed Street, London, W2 1NY, UK, h.ashrafian@imperial.ac.uk.
Tania Toma
Simon P Rowland
Leanne Harling
Alan Tan
Evangelos Efthimiou
Ara Darzi
Thanos Athanasiou
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust · GBSt Mary's Hospital · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundObstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a well-recognised complication of obesity. Non-surgical weight loss (medical, behavioural and lifestyle interventions) may improve OSA outcomes, although long-term weight control remains challenging. Bariatric surgery offers a successful strategy for long-term weight loss and symptom resolution.

objectivesTo comparatively appraise bariatric surgery vs. non-surgical weight loss interventions in OSA treatment utilising body mass index (BMI) and apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) as objective measures of weight loss and apnoea severity.

methodsA systematic literature review revealed 19 surgical (n = 525) and 20 non-surgical (n = 825) studies reporting the primary endpoints of BMI and AHI before and after intervention. Data were meta-analysed using random effects modelling. Subgroup analysis, quality scoring and risk of bias were assessed.

resultsSurgical patients had a mean pre-intervention BMI of 51.3 and achieved a significant 14 kg/m(2) weighted decrease in BMI (95%CI [11.91, 16.44]), with a 29/h weighted decrease in AHI (95%CI [22.41, 36.74]). Non-surgical patients had a mean pre-intervention BMI of 38.3 and achieved a significant weighted decrease in BMI of 3.1 kg/m(2) (95%CI [2.42, 3.79]), with a weighted decrease in AHI of 11/h (95%CI [7.81, 14.98]). Heterogeneity was high across all outcomes.

conclusionsBoth bariatric surgery and non-surgical weight loss may have significant beneficial effects on OSA through BMI and AHI reduction. However, bariatric surgery may offer markedly greater improvement in BMI and AHI than non-surgical alternatives. Future studies must address the lack of randomised controlled and comparative trials in order to confirm the exact relationship between metabolic surgery and non-surgical weight loss interventions in OSA resolution.

Indexed as

Bariatric SurgeryLife StyleWeight LossBody Mass IndexHumansObesity, MorbidSleep Apnea, ObstructiveTreatment Outcome

Identifiers

PMID25537297
OpenAlexW2037094598

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.