Impact of intragastric balloon on blood pressure reduction: A retrospective study in Eastern North Carolina.

backgroundObesity has evolved into a global pandemic. The prevalence of obesity and hypertension in eastern North Carolina are comparable, if not higher, than the national prevalence. In the United States, an estimated 34% of adults have hypertension, the most modifiable risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Lifestyle and pharmacological interventions often do not provide sustained weight loss in obese patients. Bariatric surgery offers an effective weight reduction with short-and long-term health improvements; however, a higher body mass index is associated with higher surgical morbidity and mortality, longer hospitalization, and increasing rates of 30-day readmission due to co-morbidities. Intragastric balloon may bridge a critical gap in the treatment of obesity. The objective of this paper is to showcase the impact of endoscopic bariatric therapy on blood pressure reduction.

aimTo investigate the impact of intragastric balloon on blood pressure reduction.

methodsA retrospective chart review was conducted from January 1, 2016 to January 31, 2019 of consecutive adults who received intragastric balloon therapy (IGBT) in a gastroenterology private practice in Eastern North Carolina. The balloon was introduced into the stomach under endoscopic guidance, and while in the region of the gastric body, inflation with saline was performed at increments of 50 mL until target volume between 500 to 650 mL of saline was attained depending on the patient's gastric capacity. No procedural complications were noted during endoscopic placement and removal of the balloon. A cohort study design was used for data analysis. A total of 172 patients had the Orbera

resultsThe study included 15% males and 85% females. 50% of the patients were white and just over 22% were non-white, and about 27% declined to give their race. The average baseline patients' weight prior to IGBT was 231.61 Lbs. (SD = 46.53 Lbs.). However, the average patients' weight after IGBT at the 6-mo follow-up was 203.88 Lbs. (SD = 41.04 Lbs.). Hence, on average, the percent total body weight loss at 6-mo is 11.97 after IGBT. The logistic regression performed revealed that weight (β = 0.0140,

conclusionIGBT can be an effective short-term weight reduction modality with a relatively little risk of adverse event. Due to its improvement on systolic blood pressure, IGBT may help reduce cardiovascular risk.