Racial Disparities in Opioid Analgesia Administration Among Adult Emergency Department Patients with Abdominal Pain

INTRODUCTION

Racial disparities in pain management have been reported among emergency department (ED) patients. In this study we evaluated the association between patients' self-identified race/ethnicity and the administration of opioid analgesia among ED patients with abdominal pain, the most common chief complaint for ED presentations in the United States.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study of adult (age ≥18 years) patients who presented to the ED of a single center with abdominal pain from January 1, 2019-December 31, 2020. We collected demographic and clinical information, including patients' race and ethnicity, from the electronic health record. The primary outcome was the ED administration of any opioid analgesic (binary). Secondary outcomes included the administration of non-opioid analgesia (binary) and administration of any analgesia (binary). We used logistic regression models to estimate odds ratios (OR) of the association between a patient's race/ethnicity and analgesia administration. Covariates included age, sex, initial pain score, Emergency Severity Index, and ED visits in the prior 30 days. Subgroup analyses were performed in non-pregnant patients, those who underwent any imaging study, were admitted to the hospital, and who underwent surgery within 24 hours of ED arrival.

RESULTS

We studied 7,367 patients: 45% (3,314) were non-Hispanic (NH) White; 28% (2,092) were Hispanic/Latinx; 19% (1,384) were NH Black, and 8% (577) were Asian. Overall, 44% (3,207) of patients received opioid analgesia. In multivariable regression models, non-White patients were less likely to receive opioid analgesia compared with White patients (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.65-0.83 for Hispanic/Latinx patients; OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.54-0.72 for Black patients; and OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.52-0.78 for Asian patients). Black patients were also less likely to receive non-opioid analgesia, and Black and Hispanic/Latinx patients were less likely than White patients to receive any analgesia. The associations were similar across subgroups; however, the association was attenuated among patients who underwent surgery within 24 hours of ED arrival.

CONCLUSION

Hispanic/Latinx, Black, and Asian patients were significantly less likely to receive opioid analgesia than White patients when presenting to the ED with abdominal pain. Black patients were also less likely than White patients to receive non-opioid analgesia.

ID: 51: CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF LIPOXINS IN KAPOSI'S SARCOMA AND PRIMARY EFFUSION LYMPHOMA

Current treatments for Kaposi's Sarcoma (KS) and Primary Effusion Lymphoma (PEL) rely on systemic chemotherapeutics developed for non-virus-associated cancers that target DNA replication of all dividing cells. Other treatment methods aim at keeping immune system healthy and infection under control through surgery. All of the above approaches have low efficacy, high cost, and high risk of secondary malignancies especially in immuno-compromised patients. Hence, there is an emerging need to look for alternative treatment focused on KS or PEL host molecules, such as Lipoxins. Lipoxins are anti-inflammatory molecules that can target a variety of pro-inflammatory pathways of KS and PEL. Previous results from our lab have shown that level of ALX receptor (ALXR) does not change after Kaposi's Sarcoma Herpes Virus (KSHV) infection, leading to the potential use of Lipoxins to trigger anti-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic pathways as treatment of KS and PEL.

In this study, we investigated downstream signaling in KSHV harboring body cavity B cell lymphoma (BCBL-1) cells induced by Lipoxin treatment to assess its pro-apoptotic effect. We treated 5–10×106 BCBL-1 cells with solvent control (EtOH), Lipoxin (100 mM), or Epilipoxin (100 mM) for 48 and 72 hrs. Downstream phosphorylation of Akt, NF-kB p65, and ERK were assessed using Western blotting and pro-apoptotic gene changes were detected using Real-Time PCR. Cell survival and cell cycle progression was assessed using BrdU FACS analysis. We found that Lipoxin and Epilipoxin treatment downregulated NF-kB and ERK activation via ALXR binding while Akt signaling was not affected. We also found that Lipoxin successfully upregulated pro-apoptotic genes such as BIM-1, BAX, BCL-10, and p53 compared to control. Lipoxin treatment also led to decreased S-phase progression and induction of apoptosis. In conclusion, our study suggests that Lipoxins have therapeutic potential for PEL and should be explored in KS and other PEL cell types.

Pouring and running a protein gel by reusing commercial cassettes

The evaluation of proteins using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis is a common technique used by biochemistry and molecular biology researchers. For laboratories that perform daily analyses of proteins, the cost of commercially available polyacrylamide gels (~$10/gel) can be considerable over time. To mitigate this cost, some researchers prepare their own polyacrylamide gels. Traditional methods of pouring these gels typically utilize specialized equipment and glass gel plates that can be expensive and preclude pouring many gels and storing them for future use. Furthermore, handling of glass plates during cleaning or gel pouring can result in accidental breakage creating a safety hazard, which may preclude their use in undergraduate laboratory classes. Our protocol demonstrates how to pour multiple protein gels simultaneously by recycling Invitrogen Nupage Novex minigel cassettes, and inexpensive materials purchased at a home improvement store. This economical and streamlined method includes a way to store the gels at 4°C for a few weeks. By re-using the plastic gel cassettes from commercially available gels, labs that run frequent protein gels can save significant costs and help the environment. In addition, plastic gel cassettes are extremely resistant to breakage, which makes them ideal for undergraduate laboratory classrooms.