Diabetes remission and diabetic complications of bariatric surgery vs. medical management in patients with type 2 diabetes: A meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials
Pooled result · Diabetes remissionResult — go to the resultRR for diabetes remission 8.26 95% CI 4.69–14.56Authors' conclusion
Bariatric surgery seems to be superior to medical management for diabetes remission and improving diabetic microvascular complications in patients with T2DM. However, bariatric surgery and medical management show similar effects on diabetic macrovascular complications.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with T2D in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with follow-up ≥1 year; searches to February 28, 2025
- Comparison
- Bariatric surgery vs medical management
- Outcome
- Diabetes remission (prespecified in trial protocols or HbA1c <6.5% ≥3 months after cessation of glucose-lowering pharmacotherapy)
- Follow-up
- 1 year
Pooled result
Diabetes remission
RR for diabetes remission
8.26
95% CI 4.69–14.56
P < 0.001
By group
Bariatric surgeryvs Medical management
RR for diabetes remission 8.26 (95% CI 4.69–14.56); P < 0.001
As reported in the abstract
Further pooled results
| Outcome | RR (95% CI) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetic microvascular events | 0.42 (0.18–0.97) | P = 0.04 | |
| Diabetic macrovascular events | 1.09 (0.70–1.70) | P = 0.71 | |
| Albuminuria | 0.37 (0.16–0.81) | P = 0.01 | |
| 0.10.31310Relative risk (log scale) |
Diabetes remission at later follow-up · 2, 3 and ≥5 years
- RR at 2 years
- 7.42
- RR at 3 years
- 16.97
- RR at ≥5 years
- 4.26
Diabetic retinopathy
- Bariatric surgery not significantly associated with DR
Original publication
Diabetes remission and diabetic complications of bariatric surgery vs. medical management in patients with type 2 diabetes: A meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials. Diabetes Obes Metab. Published 24 September 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →