Modestly improving cardiorespiratory fitness in low-fit veterans lowered their risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) 13%-24%, according to a new study.
Extraordinary Claims Require Extraordinary Evidence
ECREE was a concept popularized by Carl Sagan to help the public understand the key features of the scientific method. It can be difficult for people to realize that science can never prove anything; instead, scientists develop a hypothesis (an educated guess about the natural world) and design tests to determine whether empirical evidence supports or contradicts the original hypothesis. To be considered science, a hypothesis must be subject to being proven false through observation or experimentation.
Military Use of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Increasingly Essential Since Iraq, Afghanistan Wars
Since 2004, beginning in the battlefield medicine setting, negative-pressure therapy has been regularly used in the treatment of acute injuries and nonhealing wounds.
Nonhealing Wounds From Battlefield Injuries, Chronic Conditions, Surgery Create Medical Challenges
During the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, more than half of all injuries involved the extremities.
Low Social Determinants of Health Attenuate Improvements for AF Patients
A recent study suggested that social determinants of health (SDoH) might influence the clinical presentation, management, and outcomes related to atrial fibrillation(AF).
Hormone Therapy Use in Women Veterans Linked to CVD
Menopausal hormone therapy is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death in women veterans 45 years and older.
VA Lung Transplant Program Offers Outcomes Comparable to Non-VA Programs; Often Better for Survival
For veterans with end-stage lung disease, the decision of where to pursue a lung transplant involves many practical and clinical considerations.
End-stage Renal Disease, Patients Treated for Rare Blood Disorder at Lower Risk of Mortality
Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) who are treated by therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) are at lower risk of mortality than ESRD patients without this diagnosis. That indicated that TPE is warranted when there is clinical suspicion of TTP, according to a recent study.
What Are the Key Drivers of Increased Cases of Post-COVID-19 Dysautonomia in Active-Duty Servicemembers?
Because a significant proportion of patients presenting with post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) have met diagnostic criteria for certain disorders of the autonomic nervous system, a study team set out to evaluate demographic and medical factors associated with PASC dysautonomia in active-duty U.S. servicemembers (ADSM).
MASLD Risk Differs by Sex in HIV Patients
In general, men face a higher risk for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) with clinically significant fibrosis (CSF) than premenopausal women, but does the same hold true in patients with HIV?
A Guideline-Concordant Liberal Transfusion Strategy Didn’t Reduce Death, Major Ischemic Events in Older Veterans Undergoing Surgery
A liberal transfusion strategy compared with a restrictive strategy did not significantly reduce 90-day postoperative death or major ischemic event rates, according to a study involving U.S. veterans.
Depression After War Experiences Persist; Suicide Risk Actually Can Increase Over Time
Mental health assessments should not only focus on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but also depression in military personnel, veterans and others exposed to war or terrorist related traumas, according to a new study.
RAND Director Focuses on How Physical, Mental Health Interact in Servicemembers, Veterans
The RAND Corp. holds a rare place in the conversation around national healthcare. Sitting at the intersection of research and governance, its studies are given weight by Republicans and Democrats alike, especially when it comes to issues impacting veterans and servicemembers.
Physician Assistants Have Close Ties to Military and Continue to Improve Care Value in MHS, VA
Eugene A. Stead, MD, of the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC, is credited with assembling the first class of PAs in 1965; all were former U.S. Navy hospital corpsmen and U.S. Army combat medics who had received considerable medical training during their military service, including the Vietnam War. The curriculum was based on what he remembered about the fast-tracking of MD training during World War II.
Veteran Study Identifies Very Strong Link Between Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Parkinson’s Disease
For veterans with untreated obstructive sleep apnea, the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease was exceedingly higher than those without. The good news, however, is that the risk can be greatly reduced if they used continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).
New Legislation Sparked by VA’s Quiet Removal of Male Breast Cancer as a Presumptive Condition Under the PACT Act
Although it received little press coverage until recently, the VA is removing male breast cancer from the list of toxic exposure-related presumptive conditions listed under the PACT Act.
Post-ICU Care Outcomes Among Veterans Need Improvement for Both VA, Community Hospitals
Post-ICU care outcomes among veterans are less than optimal for both VA and community hospital discharges, showing a need for coordinated programs to improve recovery trajectories and outcomes, according to a recent study.
Pregnancy-Related Complications Higher in Pregnant Veterans With Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases
Adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as severe maternal morbidity, are more prevalent among veterans with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared to other veterans, and these require closer monitoring, according to a recent study.
High-Risk Medications Linked to Frailty and Mortality in Veterans With Cancer
Careful medication review might be just as critical as cancer treatment itself for older adults. A large study of nearly 400,000 veterans found that certain medications commonly prescribed to this population are associated with higher risks of frailty, hospitalization and death.
Veterans Often Face Longterm Opioid Risks After Cancer Surgery
For many veterans, surgery to treat early-stage cancer marks the beginning of recovery. Yet, for some, it also brings an unexpected challenge: lingering opioid use long after the procedure is over.
Non-Combat Health Threats Pose Ongoing Challenges for Military Readiness
When most people think of military casualties, combat injuries often come to mind. Yet, throughout history, the majority of threats to servicemember health have come not from the battlefield but from disease and nonbattle injuries (DNBI).
Algorithm Aims to Improve Care for Veterans With Hard-to-Treat Epilepsy
Accurate identification of drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE)—a severe form of epilepsy in which seizures continue despite treatment with multiple medications—is essential for improving outcomes. Yet, because DRE is not explicitly coded in medical records, many patients who could benefit from specialized care go unrecognized.
Tackling a Killer: Optimizing Outcomes in mHCC Through Sequencing
Despite significant progress in treatment and an expanding armamentarium of therapies, liver cancer remains the third-leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide.
Adjusting Glycemic Goals as Veterans Age Improves Outcomes From Diabetes
The VA serves more patients with diabetes than any other healthcare system in the United States. Many of these veterans are older adults with multiple comorbidities, increasing their risk for both hyperglycemia-related complications and serious consequences of hypoglycemia.
Emerging Pharmacotherapies Offer Hope in the Battle Against Military, Veteran Suicide
For the men and women who have served in uniform, depression is not merely a clinical diagnosis but a potentially lethal threat that demands aggressive, evidence-based intervention.
Phase 3 trial Demonstrates 63% Reduction in Schizophrenia Relapse Risk
In an era where post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury dominate discussions of military and veteran mental health, schizophrenia spectrum disorders can be overlooked—despite the reality that young adults beginning military service are often at the age when schizophrenia symptoms first emerge.
Addressing the Complexity of Depression in Veterans and Servicemembers
Depression represents one of the most prevalent and challenging mental health conditions affecting U.S. servicemembers and veterans with a significant impact on force readiness, reintegration into civilian life, long-term health, and suicide risk.
Five Things to Know about Augmentation for Treatment Resistant Depression
Approximately half of patients with major depressive disorder fail to achieve adequate response to initial antidepressant treatment. An inadequate response is generally defined as less than 50 percent improvement in depression severity after six to eight weeks of treatment at therapeutic doses. Even partial responders, those who experience some benefit but continue to have significant symptoms, may benefit from treatment optimization or augmentation.
Selecting Diabetes Medications: Which GLP-1RAs Are Safest, Most Effective?
The medication class glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) might be at the center of discussion in medicine these days, but a new study pointed out that the comparative effectiveness and safety of individual formulations have not been well understood.
COVID-19 Mortality Originally Higher for Veterans With Diabetes; Less So Now
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, veterans with diabetes had a higher risk of dying within two months after infection, compared to veterans without diabetes. Those risks had generally evened out by mid-2022, however, according to a new study.
