Return Rates for Opioid versus Nonopioid Management of Patients with Abdominal Pain in the Emergency Department.

BACKGROUND: Research suggests that opioid treatment for abdominal pain, which comprises a large proportion of patients presenting to the emergency department (ED), may contribute to long-term opioid use without significant benefits with regard to symptom management. OBJECTIVES: This study seeks to assess the association between opioid use for management of abdominal pain in the ED and return ED visits for abdominal pain within 30 days for patients discharged from the ED at initial presentation. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, multicenter observational study of adult patients presenting to and discharged from 21 EDs with a chief concern of abdominal pain between November 2018 and April 2020. The proportion of 30-day return visits to the ED for patients who received opioid analgesics was compared with a reference group of patients who only received acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), or both. RESULTS: Of the 4745 patients, 1304 (27.5%) received opioids and 1101 (23.2%) only received either acetaminophen, NSAIDs, or both. Among those given opioids, 287 (22.0%) returned to the ED for abdominal pain within 30 days, compared with 162 (14.7%) of those in the reference group (odds ratio 1.57, 95% confidence interval 1.27-1.95, p-value < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Patients given opioids for abdominal pain in the ED had 57% increased odds of a return ED visit within 30 days compared with those given only acetaminophen or NSAIDs. This warrants further research on the use of nonopioid analgesics in the ED, especially in patients with anticipated discharge.

Stercoral Colitis in the Emergency Department: A Retrospective Review of Presentation, Management, and Outcomes.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Stercoral colitis is inflammation of the bowel wall caused by fecal impaction. Despite reported high morbidity and risk of perforation, little research assessing outcomes is available. This study characterizes the presentation, management, and outcomes of emergency department patients with stercoral colitis. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review of ED patients with stercoral colitis identified on computed tomography (CT) scan. Of 814, 522 visits to multiple EDs across the US, 269 met the inclusion criteria. Variables regarding patient presentation, management, and outcomes were extracted from electronic medical records. Results were analyzed with percentages and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Of 269 patients, the median age was 76 years. The most common chief concern was abdominal pain/distension (33.8%). However, abdominal pain was documented as absent in 62.1% of cases. The most common CT findings included fecal impaction (96.7%), bowel wall inflammation (72.9%), and fat stranding (48.3%). Eighty-four (31.2%) patients were discharged home from the ED, and over half of these (45/84, 53.6%) received no enema, laxatives, or disimpaction. Overall, 9 patients (3.3%, 95% CI 1.6% to 6.5%) required surgical management of a related complication within 3 months, 27 (10.0%, 95% CI 6.8% to 14.4%) returned to the ED within 72 hours, and 9 (3.3%, 95% CI 1.6% to 6.5%) died from a cause related to stercoral colitis within 3 months. CONCLUSION: Patients with stercoral colitis often present in a nonspecific manner, and short-term mortality is substantial. In this study, most discharged patients did not receive recommended treatment. This represents the largest ED study of stercoral colitis and provides further evidence linking this diagnosis with adverse outcomes.