Pediatric acute respiratory infections result in absenteeism for both children and their caregivers who are active-duty servicemembers, leading to lost duty days and reduced military readiness, according to a recent study.
Palliative Care Often Comes Late for Veterans with COPD; Use Increases Modestly
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with substantial symptom burden, functional decline and frequent hospitalizations, making early palliative care an important component of comprehensive management.
Deployment Linked to Higher Rates of Chronic Sinus Disease, Related Airway Conditions
Deployed military servicemembers have considerably higher rates of chronic sinus disease and related airway conditions compared to their nondeployed counterparts.
RSV Vaccine Durability Waned Over Two Years, Especially for Immunocompromised Veterans and Those 80 and Older
A new veteran study raised questions on the long-term effectiveness of a single respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine dose against RSV illness and associated healthcare use, especially among those who were immunocompromised or older.
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).
Link Between Pneumonia Risk, Use of Certain Medications in Veterans
It is known that anticholinergic medications and alcohol each independently increase the risk of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). A new study explored whether nonanticholinergic neurocognitively active medications also increase risk and whether alcohol modifies these associations.
Cigarette Smoking, Smoke Residue Negatively Affect Autoimmune Skin Disorder
In patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus, an autoimmune skin disorder linked to cigarette smoking, smoking is associated with treatment resistance, and smoke residue on clothing and sheets may negatively affect the skin.
A Combo of Genomics, AI Improves Lower Respiratory Diagnoses, Reduces Unnecessary Antibiotic Use
A new study suggests a way to curb the overuse of antibiotics by using both genetic information and artificial intelligence (AI) to more accurately diagnose pneumonia.
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.
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).
Smoke ’Em If You Got ’Em: Veterans Continue to Use Tobacco More Than Broader Community
In the World War II era, servicemembers being urged to take a break would be told by their superiors, “Smoke ’em if you got ’em.” That’s how widespread use of cigarettes was among the military.
More Testing Needed for hMPV Infection, the Newcomer in Serious Respiratory Infections
Older adults living in nursing homes have a similar likelihood of hospitalization and death from human metapneumovirus (hMPV) infection compared to an infection with influenza virus or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), according to a recent study.
Deployed Veterans Have ‘Normal’ Testing Despite Respiratory Problems
Despite having seemingly normal lung function tests, many veterans with a history of deployment still experience significant respiratory symptoms and limitations.
Additional COVID-19 Vaccines Effective in Cancer Patients
Additional doses of COVID-19 vaccines were significantly effective at preventing COVID-19 hospitalizations for cancer patients, according to a new study that involved four healthcare systems, including the VHA.
Heavy Equipment, Aircraft Maintenance Lead to Military Inhalational Exposures
The risks of inhalational exposures are well known on the battlefield or in other deployment areas.
Sleep Apnea Found to Be ‘Critical’ Issue for Military Personnel
Screening, triage and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) could be a game-changer for the U.S. military, according to a new study.
Impulse Oscillometry Not Recommended for First-Line Airway Obstruction Evaluation After Deployment
When evaluating airway obstruction in military personnel after deployment, impulse oscillometry (IOS) may serve as an additional diagnosis tool, but it can’t replace the reliability of the standard spirometric evaluation, according to a recent study.
Rural Veterans Have Less Access to Crucial COPD Therapies Post-Discharge
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a group of progressive and complex conditions that affect the lungs, require a comprehensive treatment approach.
Medications Can Cause Falls, Related Adverse Outcomes in COPD Patients
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the sixth-most-common cause of death in the United States, but the link between medications and a greater risk of morbidity and mortality in those patients is not well known, according to a new report.
Chronic Ill Health Remains an Issue for Many Gulf War Veterans
For many veterans who served during the 1990-1991 Gulf War era, Gulf War Illness (GWI) and chronic ill health have lasting effects nearly 30 years later, according to a recent study.
Indeterminate Liver Nodules Have a High but Variable Risk of HCC
For more than a decade, the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) has been used to standardize the interpretation and reporting of liver lesions in patients at high risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Another Reason to Reduce PPI Use? Usage Linked to Susceptibility for Respiratory Infections
One of the most commonly used medication classes worldwide, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are effective for treating acid-related stomach disorders, such as ulcers, heartburn or acid reflux.
Misdiagnosis of Community-Acquired Pneumonia Occurs More Than Half the Time at VA Hospitals
Pneumonia diagnoses change more often than not at VA hospitals, either because a veteran initially thought to have the infection is diagnosed with something else or because the community-acquired pneumonia diagnosis was missed when the patient entered the hospital.
Removing Race From Lung-Function Equations Shifts Disease Classifications
In 2023, the American Thoracic Society recommended race-neutral interpretation of lung function and requested the investigation of “consequences for the yet-unquantified number of individuals with results near decision-making thresholds.”
Strong Links Found Between Obstructive Respiratory Disease in Veterans, Psychiatric Health Conditions
Veterans with obstructive respiratory disease should receive timely screening and treatment for comorbid psychiatric and medical conditions that frequently accompany the condition, according to a new study.
Mortality Rises in VHA Inpatients With COVID-19 Plus HAI Infections
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA), an opportunistic pathogen commonly associated with healthcare-associated infections, has a high mortality rate. The organism’s high virulence and ability to rapidly acquire resistance to antibiotics make PA infections a treatment challenge.
Overestimation of Oxygen Saturation Delayed COVID-19 Care, Despite Race
The overestimation of oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry in patients led to the delay of COVID-19 treatment and potentially increased hospital readmissions, according to a new study.
Impaired Mitochondrial Function, Not Inflammation, Appears to Be Cause of GWI
Future clinical interventions for Gulf War Illness should focus on impaired mitochondrial function, not inflammation, according to a new study.
Comparison of the Adjuvanted, High-Dose Influenza Vaccines for Older Adults
Which provides better protection for older adults: the adjuvanted inactivated influenza vaccine (aIIV) or high-dose inactivated influenza vaccine (HD-IIV)?
How Afghanistan Particulate Matter Affected Deployed Servicemembers
U.S. military personnel who served in Iraq and Afghanistan often present with deployment-related asthma-like symptoms, including distal airway obstruction.