Background: There are treatments available to manage overweight and obesity (O&O). Intragastric balloons (IGB) are one option; they fill the stomach, increasing the sensation of satiety, limiting the amount of food to be ingested, and thus leading to weight loss. However, data suggest that patients regain weight long-term after an IGB treatment. As IGB is a relatively recent procedure for O&O, there is limited information about patient care practices alongside treatment, and whether could explain success or failure to maintain weight loss long-term.  Objective: The aim of the study was to explore clinical dietitians’ perspectives on patient care practices alongside IGB procedures. Method: Six semi-structured qualitative interviews were recorded, transcribed, and explored using qualitative content analysis method, which resulted in three categories. Results: The results showed that the clinical dietitians had many practices in place to condition patients before treatment. Screening the patient, balloon role information, and setting realistic expectations were considered essential practices. The involvement of a multi-disciplinary team was viewed as a critical factor to ensure engagement and follow-up with patients. The findings showed a high level of variability of frequency and contact during treatment and after balloon removal. Developing patients’ self-efficacy through practices like motivational coaching, dietary education, and behavioural therapy were also common practices.  Conclusion: Although similar practice patterns were identified, the findings highlighted a high level of variability in practices between respondents’ workplaces. This study was a first attempt to explore dietitians’ perceptions on patient care practices in relation to IGB-treatments, and it is too early to determine whether differences in practices have any impact on long-term weight loss maintenance. These could be the focus of new studies. / Bakgrund: Olika behandlingar är tillgängliga för att hantera övervikt och fetma. Intragastriska ballonger (IGB) är ett alternativ; de fyller magen, ökar mättnadskänslan, begränsar mängden av mat som kan intas och leder därmed till viktminskning. Data tyder dock på att patienter långsiktigt går upp i vikt långsiktigt efter IGB-behandling. Eftersom IGB behandlingar är en relativt ny procedur för övervikt och fetma, finns det bara begränsad information om patientvårdsprocesser som används i samband med behandlingen, och om skillnader i dessa skulle kunna förklara framgång eller misslyckande med att upprätthålla viktminskning långsiktigt. Syfte: Syftet med studien var att utforska dietisters perspektiv på patientvårdsprocesser och stödmetoder i samband med IGB-behandlingar. Metod: Sex semi-strukturerade kvalitativa intervjuer spelades in, transkriberades och analyserades enligt kvalitativ innehållsanalysmetoden, vilket resulterade i tre kategorier. Resultat: Resultaten visade att dietister använde många processer/metoder för att förbereda patienten innan behandling. Patientundersökning, ballongsinformation och att sätta realistiska förväntningar ansågs vara väsentliga metoder. Engagemang av ett multidisciplinärt team sågs som en kritisk faktor för att säkerställa engagemang och uppföljning med patienten. Resultaten visade en stor variation av frekvens och kontakt från vårdpersonalen under och efter IGB-behandling. Att utveckla patientens förmåga att ta eget ansvar med metoder som motiverande samtal, kostundervisning och beteendeterapi var också vanliga. Slutsats: Även om liknande processer/metoder identifierades, resultaten visade en stor variation i praktiken mellan respondenternas arbetsplatser. Studien var ett första försök att undersöka dietisters uppfattningar om patientvårdsprocesser i samband med IGB-behandling, och det är för tidigt att avgöra om skillnader i metoderna har någon inverkan på patienternas viktminskning underhåll långsiktigt. Dessa kan vara i fokus för nya studier.

Neste trabalho, buscou-se avaliar se o uso do balão intragástrico (BI) durante um período de seis meses por pacientes obesos ou com sobrepeso e com síndrome metabólica (SM) traz melhora nos parâmetros de função pulmonar, distribuição da gordura corporal e SM. Trata-se de um estudo longitudinal e intervencionista com indivíduos adultos que foram submetidos à avaliação antropométrica, da bioquímica sérica, dos parâmetros de função pulmonar e do padrão de distribuição da gordura corporal, antes da instalação do BI, durante o acompanhamento de seis meses e após a sua retirada. Nos dados obtidos três meses após a colocação do BI, os pacientes apresentaram aumento da capacidade de difusão ao monóxido de carbono com correlação positiva entre esta e o percentual total de gordura corporal (rs=0,39; p=0,05), o padrão ginoide (rs=0,41; p=0,05) e o padrão torácico (rs=0,42; p=0,01). Também foi observado que, após três meses da colocação do BI, houve redução significativa do índice de massa corpórea (IMC) (p=0,0001) e da força muscular inspiratória (p=0,009). Também houve aumento significativo da capacidade vital forçada (CVF) (p=0,0001), da capacidade pulmonar total (CPT) (p=0,001) e do volume de reserva expiratório (VRE) (p=0,0001). Ao fim do estudo, foi observada elevação estatisticamente significante da CPT (p=0,0001), capacidade residual funcional (p=0,0001), volume residual (VR) (p=0,0005) e VRE (p=0,0001). Também foi observada redução significativa do IMC, cuja mediana passou de 39,1 kg/m2 no início da avaliação para 34,5 kg/m2 no final dos seis meses (p=0,0001). Ao fim do estudo, 31 pacientes (77,5%) não apresentavam mais critérios diagnósticos para SM. Em relação aos parâmetros de distribuição da gordura corporal, também houve mudanças importantes com redução significante (p=0,0001) do percentual de gordura nos quatro padrões analisados (tronco, androide, ginoide e total). Houve correlação significante entre o delta da CPT e o delta da circunferência abdominal (ρ=-0,34; p=0,03), entre o delta da CRF e o delta do IMC (ρ=-0,39; p=0,01) e entre o delta do VRE e os deltas do IMC (ρ=-0,44; p=0,005) e do colesterol HDL (ρ=-0,37; p=0,02). Também houve correlação significante entre o delta do VRE com os deltas das gorduras de tronco (ρ=-0,51; p=0,004), androide (ρ=-0,46; p=0,01), ginoide (ρ=-0,55; p=0,001) e total (ρ=-0,59; p=0,0005). / This work aimed to evaluate if the use of intragastric balloon (IB) for a period of six months in obese patients or overweight and metabolic syndrome (MS) brings improvement in the parameters of pulmonary function, body fat distribution and MS. This is a longitudinal and interventional study with adults who underwent anthropometric measurements, serum biochemistry, pulmonary function parameters and the pattern of distribution of body fat before the IB installation, during follow-up of six months and after their withdrawal. In data obtained three months after the placing of BI we observed a statistically significant positive correlation between the capacity of diffusion and the percentage of whole-body fat mass (rs=0.39; p=0.05), gynoid fat mass (rs=0.41; p=0.05), and trunk fat mass (rs=0.42; p=0.01). It was also noted that, after three months of placement of BI, there was a significant reduction in the body mass index (BMI) (p=0.0001) and the maximal inspiratory pressure (p=0.009). We also observed a significant increase in the forced vital capacity (FVC) (p=0.0001), total lung capacity (TLC) (p=0.001), and expiratory reserve volume (ERV) (p=0.0001). At the end of the study it was observed that the TLC (p=0.0001), functional residual capacity (FRC) (p=0.0001), residual volume (p=0.0005), and ERV (p=0.0001) were significantly increased by IB. The BMI significantly decreased from a median of 39.1 kg/m2 at the beginning of the study to 34.5 kg/m2 at the end of the six-month period (p=0.0001). At this time, 31 participants (77.5%) no longer met the diagnostic criteria of MS. The parameters of body fat distribution also exhibited remarkable changes. The percentage of fat in all four investigated patterns of distribution (truncal, android, gynoid, and total) exhibited significant reductions (p=0.0001). Significant correlations were found between delta TLC and delta abdominal circumference (ρ=-0.34; p=0.03), delta FRC and delta BMI (ρ=-0.39; p=0.01), delta ERV and delta BMI (ρ=-0.44; p=0.005), and delta ERV and delta high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (ρ=-0.37; p=0.02). Significant correlations were also found between delta ERV and delta truncal (ρ=-0.51; p=0.004), android (ρ=-0.46; p=0.01), gynoid (ρ=-0.55; p=0.001), and total fat (ρ=-0.59; p=0.0005).

Neste trabalho, buscou-se avaliar se o uso do balão intragástrico (BI) durante um período de seis meses por pacientes obesos ou com sobrepeso e com síndrome metabólica (SM) traz melhora nos parâmetros de função pulmonar, distribuição da gordura corporal e SM. Trata-se de um estudo longitudinal e intervencionista com indivíduos adultos que foram submetidos à avaliação antropométrica, da bioquímica sérica, dos parâmetros de função pulmonar e do padrão de distribuição da gordura corporal, antes da instalação do BI, durante o acompanhamento de seis meses e após a sua retirada. Nos dados obtidos três meses após a colocação do BI, os pacientes apresentaram aumento da capacidade de difusão ao monóxido de carbono com correlação positiva entre esta e o percentual total de gordura corporal (rs=0,39; p=0,05), o padrão ginoide (rs=0,41; p=0,05) e o padrão torácico (rs=0,42; p=0,01). Também foi observado que, após três meses da colocação do BI, houve redução significativa do índice de massa corpórea (IMC) (p=0,0001) e da força muscular inspiratória (p=0,009). Também houve aumento significativo da capacidade vital forçada (CVF) (p=0,0001), da capacidade pulmonar total (CPT) (p=0,001) e do volume de reserva expiratório (VRE) (p=0,0001). Ao fim do estudo, foi observada elevação estatisticamente significante da CPT (p=0,0001), capacidade residual funcional (p=0,0001), volume residual (VR) (p=0,0005) e VRE (p=0,0001). Também foi observada redução significativa do IMC, cuja mediana passou de 39,1 kg/m2 no início da avaliação para 34,5 kg/m2 no final dos seis meses (p=0,0001). Ao fim do estudo, 31 pacientes (77,5%) não apresentavam mais critérios diagnósticos para SM. Em relação aos parâmetros de distribuição da gordura corporal, também houve mudanças importantes com redução significante (p=0,0001) do percentual de gordura nos quatro padrões analisados (tronco, androide, ginoide e total). Houve correlação significante entre o delta da CPT e o delta da circunferência abdominal (ρ=-0,34; p=0,03), entre o delta da CRF e o delta do IMC (ρ=-0,39; p=0,01) e entre o delta do VRE e os deltas do IMC (ρ=-0,44; p=0,005) e do colesterol HDL (ρ=-0,37; p=0,02). Também houve correlação significante entre o delta do VRE com os deltas das gorduras de tronco (ρ=-0,51; p=0,004), androide (ρ=-0,46; p=0,01), ginoide (ρ=-0,55; p=0,001) e total (ρ=-0,59; p=0,0005). / This work aimed to evaluate if the use of intragastric balloon (IB) for a period of six months in obese patients or overweight and metabolic syndrome (MS) brings improvement in the parameters of pulmonary function, body fat distribution and MS. This is a longitudinal and interventional study with adults who underwent anthropometric measurements, serum biochemistry, pulmonary function parameters and the pattern of distribution of body fat before the IB installation, during follow-up of six months and after their withdrawal. In data obtained three months after the placing of BI we observed a statistically significant positive correlation between the capacity of diffusion and the percentage of whole-body fat mass (rs=0.39; p=0.05), gynoid fat mass (rs=0.41; p=0.05), and trunk fat mass (rs=0.42; p=0.01). It was also noted that, after three months of placement of BI, there was a significant reduction in the body mass index (BMI) (p=0.0001) and the maximal inspiratory pressure (p=0.009). We also observed a significant increase in the forced vital capacity (FVC) (p=0.0001), total lung capacity (TLC) (p=0.001), and expiratory reserve volume (ERV) (p=0.0001). At the end of the study it was observed that the TLC (p=0.0001), functional residual capacity (FRC) (p=0.0001), residual volume (p=0.0005), and ERV (p=0.0001) were significantly increased by IB. The BMI significantly decreased from a median of 39.1 kg/m2 at the beginning of the study to 34.5 kg/m2 at the end of the six-month period (p=0.0001). At this time, 31 participants (77.5%) no longer met the diagnostic criteria of MS. The parameters of body fat distribution also exhibited remarkable changes. The percentage of fat in all four investigated patterns of distribution (truncal, android, gynoid, and total) exhibited significant reductions (p=0.0001). Significant correlations were found between delta TLC and delta abdominal circumference (ρ=-0.34; p=0.03), delta FRC and delta BMI (ρ=-0.39; p=0.01), delta ERV and delta BMI (ρ=-0.44; p=0.005), and delta ERV and delta high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (ρ=-0.37; p=0.02). Significant correlations were also found between delta ERV and delta truncal (ρ=-0.51; p=0.004), android (ρ=-0.46; p=0.01), gynoid (ρ=-0.55; p=0.001), and total fat (ρ=-0.59; p=0.0005).