Understanding the Impact of Contemporary Racism on the Mental Health of Middle Class Black Americans

Evidence from previous research indicates that while socioeconomic status (SES) narrows Black-White health inequities, these inequities do not completely disappear, and in some cases, worsen. Why do Black-White health inequities persist, even when controlling for SES? It is critical to examine how perceptions of unfair treatment, especially those that are nuanced and subtle, affect the mental health of Black Americans with greater levels of SES. This study, using a new sample composed exclusively of college-educated Black Americans, investigated whether experiences related to racism were associated with poorer mental health. Qualtrics provided the sample from their nationwide panelists that met the research criteria. Inclusion criteria included the following: (1) self-identified as Black or African American; (2) at least 24 years old; (3) completed a 4-year college degree or higher. The findings from this study indicated that the effects of unfair treatment are significantly associated with poorer mental health. These findings highlight the insidious nature of contemporary racism as the everyday experiences of unfair treatment have a tremendous effect on depressive symptoms among this sample of college-educated Black Americans. Efforts to simply improve SES among historically marginalized groups will not bring about health equity. Findings from this study indicate that there are mental health costs associated with upward social mobility. It is likely that these costs, particularly the experience of everyday unfair treatment, likely diminish the social, economic and health returns on the human capital.

Intersectionality and Mental Health Among Emerging Adult Black American Men: a Scoping Review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

We conducted a scoping review to evaluate the degree to which literature published within the past 5 years concerning mental health among Black emerging adult men in the USA engaged with intersectionality.

METHODS

Using scoping review methods, we applied the following a-priori eligibility criteria: (i) sample included Black/African American men who were aged 18-29 years, (ii) pertained to general mental wellness, depression, or anxiety, (iii) published within between 2017 and 2022, (iv) empirical and/or theoretical literature including reviews, pre-prints, and reports from organizations or professional groups, (v) conducted in the USA. In total, 1384 studies were identified from the databases, after which 224 duplicates were removed, resulting in 1160 unique citations that were screened in the title/abstract phase. Overall, 376 sources were assessed for full-text eligibility, and 20 studies were included for extraction. Information pertaining to sample characteristics, intersectionality, and main mental health results were extracted from the included studies.

RECENT FINDINGS

Findings from this review indicate that there is a paucity of research that has investigated the mental health of Black American, emerging adult men. Of the studies that have been conducted in recent years, there are few that have used an intersectional framework to examine how different social identities intersect to affect mental health. This review underscores that the mental health of emerging adult Black men is of considerable concern given the developmental stage, social and historical context as well as intersecting identities that men in this stage embody.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Induced Hepatotoxicity; Gastroenterologists' Perspectives

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have promising clinical activity and are essential medications for patients with several malignancies. However, by deranging the immune system, these novel agents could lead to immune-related adverse events (IRAEs). Hepatotoxicity with checkpoint inhibitors usually results in acute hepatitis or drug-induced liver injury. METHODS: This review article discusses the recent clinical evidence available regarding checkpoint inhibitor-induced hepatitis and reviews an approach to their diagnosis and management. CONCLUSION: ICIs have improved patients' outcomes with different forms of malignancy; however, ICIs-related liver damage is a clinically significant entity in these patients. All patients should be monitored carefully for IRAEs while undergoing treatment with ICIs.

Impact of COVID-19 on interest in hepato-pancreato-biliary diseases

An important gap of knowledge exists regarding the public interest in hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) diseases during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We aimed to understand the public interest in HPB diseases in the COVID-19 era. In this infodemiology study, we performed a comparative analysis of Google search volume of HPB terms in 2020-2021 and compared it to a similar time frame (2016-2019) in 3 periods to assess how trends in patient seeking behavior of HPB terms changed during the course of the pandemic in the USA and worldwide. Our analysis showed a substantial decrease in search volume of HPB diseases and procedure terms early in the pandemic. However, search volumes appeared to revert back to pre-pandemic years closer to the 1-year mark in USA and worldwide. Patients may have initially neglected HPB-related issues during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, which could lead to worse outcomes. While HPB-related terms reverted closer to pre-pandemic levels later in the pandemic, further research is needed to assess the long-term impacts.

Temporal Trends and Predictors of Pancreatitis Patients Who Leave Against Medical Advice: A Nationwide Analysis

Background

Acute pancreatitis is the leading gastrointestinal cause of hospital admissions. Our study aims to determine the trends and predictors of discharge against medical advice (AMA).

Methods

We utilized the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2003 - 2016) to identify patients admitted with pancreatitis. We compared in-hospital complications and determined predictors of discharge AMA using a multivariate logistic regression.

Results

A total of 7,158,894 patients were admitted with pancreatitis. Of those, 199,351 left AMA. Discharge AMA increased over time from 2.3% to 3.2%. Patients who left AMA were more likely to be younger, male, black, and a lower socioeconomic status (SES). They had a greater prevalence of depression, cirrhosis, smoking, drug abuse, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Alcohol use was the most likely etiology of pancreatitis among those leaving AMA. In a multivariate regression, patients more likely to leave AMA included: age 18 - 44, male, and black. Patients with a history of depression, drug abuse, and HIV infection were also more likely to be discharged AMA.

Conclusions

Discharges AMA increased over time. Predictors of AMA include patients who are younger, male, black, lower socioeconomic status, and have a history of depression, HIV infection, alcohol and drug use. Future studies are necessary to examine the reasons for discharge AMA among this population.

Sequential kidney-liver transplantation from the same living donor for lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase deficiency

BACKGROUND

Lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase (LCAT) deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of lipoprotein metabolism that results in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) necessitating transplantation. As LCAT is produced in the liver, combined kidney and liver transplantation was proposed to cure the clinical syndrome of LCAT deficiency.

METHODS

A 29-year-old male with ESRD secondary to LCAT deficiency underwent a sequential kidney-liver transplantation from the same living donor (LD). One year following the kidney transplant, auxiliary partial orthotopic liver transplant (APOLT) of a left lateral segment from the same donor was performed.

RESULTS

At 5 years follow-up, there have been no major complications, readmissions, or rejection episodes. Serum lipid abnormalities recurred within the first year, but liver and kidney allograft function remains intact.

CONCLUSION

Few cases of sequential transplantation from the same LD have been performed in adults. This is the first APOLT and multi-organ transplant performed for LCAT deficiency. Sequential organ transplant from the same LD for ESRD secondary to a metabolic disorder of the liver is feasible in adults and should be further investigated.

A real-time, telemetric method for continuous measurement of portal pressures

The ability to longitudinally monitor portal and splanchnic pressures would greatly enhance the understanding of acute and chronic liver disease by helping to assess the immediate and long-term impact of therapeutic manipulations. However, a technique for measuring portal pressures in the ambulatory setting is not currently available. To overcome this difficulty, we utilized an approach that involved the implantation of a miniature telemetric device, equipped with a specially-designed pressure transmission catheter, into the spleen of an anesthetized mouse. Using this approach, portal pressures were measured continuously over 5 d in conscious, unrestrained animals, the availability of which will help facilitate studies of the portal circulation requiring long-term stability.

Preliminary results of thoracoscopic Belsey Mark IV antireflux procedure

Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication has replaced open approaches for refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in many major medical centers. Here we report our preliminary results of the Belsey Mark IV antireflux procedure performed by video-assisted thoracoscopy (VATS-Belsey). Fifteen patients underwent VATS-Belsey. The indications for surgery included GERD refractory to medical therapy (n=10), achalasia (n=2), diffuse esophageal spasms (n=1), epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum (n=1), and paraesophageal hernia (n=1). The median operative time was 235 min. There were three conversions to open minithoracotomy (8-10 cm) necessitated by severe adhesions (n=2) and repair of a gastric perforation (n=1). The median hospital stay was 4 days. Postoperative complications included persistent air leaks, requiring discharge with a Heimlich valve in one patient. There were no perioperative deaths. At a median follow-up of 19 months, ten patients (66%) were asymptomatic and were not taking any antacids. One patient who had taken proton pump inhibitors preoperatively required postoperative H2 blockers for mild heartburn. In three patients, recurrent GERD symptoms (mean follow-up 6 months) led to laparoscopic takedown of the Belsey and Nissen fundoplication. One patient with achalasia, who had recurrent dysphagia after 1 year of relief following VATS myotomy and Belsey, underwent esophagectomy. The Belsey Mark IV antireflux procedure is technically feasible by VATS with minimal morbidity. However, our preliminary results suggest that open thoracotomy for Belsey Mark IV should remain the standard operation for GERD with poor esophageal motility when a thoracic approach is desired. We have modified our approach to laparoscopic partial fundoplications (Toupet or Dor) for severe GERD and poor esophageal motility when an abdominal approach is possible.

Multicenter prospective evaluation of laparoscopic antireflux surgery. Preliminary report

BACKGROUND

A prospective study of 116 patients undergoing laparoscopic antireflux surgery was undertaken in four centers in the United Kingdom and the United States.

METHODS

Patients with a hiatal hernia (n = 80) underwent total Rosetti-Hell fundoplication, whereas those without a hiatal defect (n = 36) were treated by a partial fundoplication (Toupet). The follow-up period ranged from 3 to 24 months; median was 13 months.

RESULTS

The median duration of the operations was 2.5 h. Intraoperative complications were encountered in 16 patients (14.0%) and conversion to laparotomy was necessary for esophageal perforation in one. The postoperative recovery of gastrointestinal function was rapid and the median hospital stay from the time of the operation to discharge was 2 days, range 1-10. A good symptomatic result (> 70% reduction of preoperative symptom score) was observed in 106 patients (91%). There were no postoperative deaths but 15 patients (13.0%) developed complications in the immediate postoperative period. At 3 months, complete endoscopic healing of the esophagitis was observed in 65/92 patients (71%) and improvement by at least one grade was seen in 19 patients (21%). Twenty-four-hour pH monitoring, which was abnormal preoperatively in 93% of patients, was normal after surgery in 95%. There were 10 symptomatic failures (persistent reflux symptoms) and 14 patients (12%) developed adverse symptoms related to the procedure (gas-bloat 8, dysphagia 9, gastroparesis 1, explosive diarrhoea 1). Readmission to hospital within 3 months was necessary in 9 patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Laparoscopic antireflux surgery can be performed with a low morbidity. In the short term, 83% of patients were rendered symptom free. These results are similar to those reported after the equivalent open operations.