Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs Are Not Associated With Increased Bleeding in Blunt Solid Organ Injury.

BACKGROUND: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are an effective nonopiate option for pain control. However, the antiplatelet aggregation of cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) inhibitors presents a concern in that they may exacerbate bleeding in patients with solid organ injuries. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to evaluate the impact of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on blunt solid organ injury. We hypothesized that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs would not contribute to intra-abdominal bleed progression. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of blunt solid organ injury evaluated from June 1, 2015, to June 30, 2019, at an urban midwestern Level I trauma center. Patients receiving and those not receiving nonsterioidal anti-inflammatory drugs were compared on intra-abdominal bleeding progression as assessed by surgical intervention, angioembolization, and blood transfusions. RESULTS: We analyzed 706 patients, of whom 206 were given nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs during their hospital course. Compared with those who were not given nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, patients given nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were less likely to have an operation (odds ratio, OR 0.46, 95% confidence interval, CI [0.25, 0.85], p = .012) and were less likely to have an embolization (OR 0.27, 95% CI [0.11, 0.70], p = .004). There was no difference in the need for packed red blood cell transfusion between the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug and non- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug groups (95% CI [0.91, 1.99], p = .13). CONCLUSION: Patients given nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs had a decreased likelihood of receiving an organ-specific procedure or needing a blood transfusion and had no difference in mortality. Our findings indicate that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in patients with blunt solid organ injuries were not associated with an increased risk of adverse events related to intra-abdominal bleeding.

Allostatic Load, Single, and Dual Chronic Conditions: Evidence from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Background: Allostatic load (AL) is defined as a cumulative burden of chronic stress and life events, which involves the interaction of different physiological systems at varying degrees of activity. AL is suspected of contributing to health disparities among different populations. Suppressed or overactive physiological systems can interrupt AL affecting proper tissue and organ function leading to disease. The objective of our study was to determine the association of AL with dual chronic conditions. Methods: We used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). For the current analysis, we used the data cycles of 2007-2010, which is the most recent data that collected comprehensive measures of the composite AL outcome variable. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable logistic regression, with stepwise forward variable selection method (P < 0.05), were conducted using STATA/IC 15.0. Results: AL levels were high among 20% of the respondents (n = 2179). Having a lower income to poverty ratio, being married, physical inactivity, experiencing sleep problems, and a history of smoking were significantly associated with high AL (P < 0.05). Non-Hispanic blacks [odds ratio (OR): 1.8; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.6-2.4] and Mexicans and other Hispanics (OR: 1.4; 95% CI: 1.1-1.7) had higher AL compared to Caucasians. Having cardiovascular disease (CVD) (OR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.4-2.2) and diabetes (OR: 4.7; 95% CI: 3.8-5.7) independently, as well as both CVD and diabetes (OR: 3.1; 95% CI 2.7-3.6), were associated with higher odds of AL. We conducted an age-adjusted regression model that indicated higher odds of elevated AL among females with diabetes independently (OR: 1.4; 95% CI: 1.2-1.9) and with both CVD and diabetes (OR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.2-2.1) compared to men. Conclusions: Despite the significant impact and association of AL with overall health, there is minimal evidence of its risk factors and linkage to disease burden. Modifiable lifestyle factors were associated with a higher AL. There is a critical need to support ethnic and gender contextual interventions to reduce the burden of AL on chronic conditions.

Reactive Oxygen Species in COPD-Related Vascular Remodeling.

The pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a multifaceted process involving the alteration of pulmonary vasculature. Such vascular remodeling can be associated with inflammation, shear stress, and hypoxia-conditions commonly seen in patients with lung diseases. Particularly, the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the diseased lungs contributes greatly to pulmonary vascular remodeling. ROS play an important role in vascular homeostasis, yet excessive ROS can alter pulmonary vasculature and impair lung function, as implicated in COPD at all stages. Increased inflammatory cell infiltration and endothelial dysfunction both correspond to the severity of COPD. As a byproduct of vascular remodeling, pulmonary hypertension negatively affects the long-term survival rate of COPD patients. While there is currently no cure for COPD, several treatment options have focused on alleviating COPD symptoms. Interventions such as long-term oxygen therapy, endothelium-targeted treatment, and pharmacological therapies show promising results in improving the life span of COPD patients and attenuating the progression of pulmonary hypertension. In this chapter, we aim to discuss the contributing factors of pulmonary vascular remodeling in COPD with an emphasis on the ROS, as well as potential redox treatments for COPD-related vascular remodeling.