Intragastric balloons more effective than diet in certain cases: 3 study insights

A study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology examined intragastric balloons’ effectiveness on metabolic outcomes associated with obesity.

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Researchers analyzed 10 randomized controlled trials and 30 observational studies with 5,668 patients.

Here’s what they found.

1. There was moderate-quality evidence for improvement in most metabolic parameters for subjects assigned to intragastric balloon therapy compared to conventional non-surgical therapy.

2. The odds ratio for diabetes resolution after intragastric balloons therapy was 1.4.

3. The balloons had a 1.3 percent rate of serious adverse events.

Researchers concluded, “IGBs are more effective than diet in improving obesity-related metabolic risk factors with a low rate of adverse effects, however the strength of the evidence is limited given the small number of participants and lack of long-term follow-up.”

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