ArticleObesity surgery2026
Association between Zinc Deficiency and Medical Resource Utilization in Patients Undergoing Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study.
Article in Obesity surgery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
4 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundThis study investigated whether postoperative zinc deficiency was associated with increased risks of medical resource utilization in patients with a previous history of laparoscopic metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS). Methods Using the TriNetX Research Network, we identified adult patients who underwent serum zinc measurements between 2010 and 2024, with the date of zinc measurement serving as the index date. Eligible patients were required to have undergone MBS at least three months prior to their zinc measurement. Patients were classified as zinc deficient (serum zinc below 70 µg/dL) or controls (70-120 µg/dL) based on their index measurement. The primary outcome was hospitalization incidence within one year of the index date, with secondary outcomes including emergency department (ED) visits, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, acute kidney injury (AKI), and composite infectious events (defined as pneumonia, sepsis, or urinary tract infection).
resultsAt one-year follow-up, zinc-deficient patients demonstrated significantly higher hospitalization rates (12.1% versus 9.4%; hazard ratio [HR]: 1.34, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.22-1.47), ED visits (20.0% versus 17.5%; HR: 1.18, 95% CI:1.09-1.26), and composite infectious events (5.7% versus 5.0%; HR:1.15, 95% CI:1.01-1.31). These associations persisted at three-year follow-up. Subgroup analysis revealed that zinc deficiency was associated with increased accumulative AKI risk following gastric bypass (hazard ratio, 1.78), but not sleeve gastrectomy.
conclusionZinc deficiency following MBS was associated with increased healthcare utilization; however, the retrospective design and potential indication bias preclude causal inferences, and prospective studies are needed to evaluate the clinical benefit of routine zinc monitoring and supplementation.
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