U.S. military veterans with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) routinely received therapies in line with current evidence-based treatment practices over the past two decades, and those who were treated with targeted therapies had longer overall survival, according to a national VA study with more than 20 years of clinical data.
New Guidelines Address Use of Topical Ruxolitinib in Atopic Dermatitis
Using topical ruxolitinib cream to treat atopic dermatitis decreases the need for other AD treatments, according to new research.
Atopic Dermatitis, Other Skin Issues Are Challenging for U.S. Military
Military servicemembers are often exposed to drastic climates, environments, and living conditions which may make them more susceptible to cutaneous diseases, according to a new study.
NIH Study Leads to First FDA Approval for Rare Immunodeficiency Syndrome
A phase III study led by a researcher at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has resulted in the first approval of a drug for activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase delta (PI3Kδ) syndrome (APDS), a rare congenital immunodeficiency syndrome.
Bladder, Kidney Cancer Rates Lower in Younger Servicemembers vs. Civilians
Younger military servicemembers have lower rates of bladder and kidney cancer than a similar civilian cohort, but that appears to change with age.
Higher MIBC Rate but No More Mortality in Black Veterans vs. Whites
Black patients presented with the highest rates of de novo muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) at the VA, a new study has found.
Military Veterans With Sex Chromosome Aneuploidies Tend to Be Underdiagnosed
Men with sex chromosome aneuploidies, meaning they have an additional X or Y chromosome, successfully serve in the U.S. military, but they have been greatly underdiagnosed and have higher medical morbidity with aging, according to a recent study.
Is Chlorthalidone Better for Veterans With Past Cardiovascular Events?
Prior myocardial infarction or stroke should be taken into account when deciding to prescribe chlorthalidone (CTD) vs hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) in older patients with hypertension.
Longer Deployment, Exposure to Burn Pits Linked to Respiratory, CV Disease
Servicemembers with prolonged deployment to military bases with open burn pits might have an increased risk for developing adverse health conditions, such as respiratory and cardiovascular disease, according to a recent study.
Iron Deficiency Independently Association With Heart Failure Development
What is the relationship of iron status with incident heart failure in community-dwelling older adults, without regard to their kidney function?
Propofol Is Impairment Risk Factor in Children With ALL
New research evaluated the effect of cumulative exposure to anesthesia on neurocognitive outcomes among a multicenter cohort of children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).
Almost 1 in 11 U.S. Military Casualties Received Warm Fresh Whole Blood
To help save lives, especially in battlefield situations, the U.S. military has frequently used a so-called walking blood bank to obtain warm, fresh whole blood (WFWB).
Study Emphasizes Importance of β-cell Function Loss in T2D Progression
For the estimated 1 in 10 Americans—or 1 in 4 veterans—with Type 2 diabetes, keeping blood glucose levels in the near-normal range reduces the risk of complications such as heart, kidney and eye disease.
Diabetic CKD Progression Faster in Veterans Than General Population
Veterans with diabetic kidney disease have a faster rate of stage progression compared to patients in the general population, and more than half of veteran diabetic kidney disease patients progressed to an advanced stage or died within 5 years, according to a recent study.
Reducing the Number of PPI Prescriptions: Benefits and Potential Pitfalls
One of the most commonly prescribed classes of drugs, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), reduces the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding in certain patients at increased risk. Most PPI prescriptions are written for other reasons, however. In fact, an estimated 25-70% of PPI users might not have an appropriate indication.
Risk of Dying from COVID-19 Remains Much Greater Than With Influenza
The risk of dying while hospitalized for COVID-19 might have decreased since the pandemic began, but SARS-CoV-2 still has a considerably higher mortality rates than seasonal influenza, according to a new VA study.
VHA Nursing Home Residents Have More Fractures With Antihypertensive Use
Starting an antihypertensive treatment is associated with a significant increase in fracture risk in older long-term VHA nursing home residents, according to a recent study.
Guideline Discordant Care Leads to Lower NSCLC Survival in AI/AN
American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) patients have lower overall survival rates from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and at least part of the reason is that they are less likely to receive guideline-concordant care, according to a new study.
Lung Cancer Survival Rates Continue Improvement Within VHA
VA’s increasing usage of cutting-edge diagnostic and therapeutic treatments for lung cancer, as well as its equal access model to address healthcare disparities, could be a model for other medical systems, according to a new study.
Veterans Study Found Positive Sotorasib Results Similar to CodeBreak Trials
Three years ago, based on the CodeBreak100 trial, the Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to the KRAS G12C inhibitor sotorasib for treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer in the second line or later.
Mutant HRAS-Driven BC Tumors More Linked to Skeletal Muscle Dysfunction
The quality of life for many breast cancer patients is affected by skeletal muscle dysfunction, which is estimated to appear in about 39% of cases.
Here’s How Much Nonadherence to ET Increases Breast Center Recurrence
What is the likelihood of breast cancer recurrence in nonmetastatic survivors who are nonadherent to endocrine therapy, the mainstay treatment to reduce BC recurrence risk?
Limited Information on Breast Cancer Risk After Military Exposures
A long list of health effects have been attributed to military environmental exposures (MEE) such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), tactile herbicides, airborne hazards and open burn pits (AHOBP), and depleted uranium.
VA Examines Strategies to Increase Mammography Uptake
Screening mammography plays a crucial role in identifying and treating breast cancer at its early stages, yet many women who could benefit from regular mammogram screenings don’t receive them.
Risk of Aggressive Endometrial Cancer Diagnosis Varies by Race, Ethnicity
The risk of an aggressive endometrial cancer diagnosis varies by race, ethnicity and country of origin, and non-Hispanic Black patients had the highest risk, according to a recent study.
VHA Has Very Low Use of Antiobesity Drugs Despite High Percentages of Overweight Veterans
Antiobesity medications have tended to be underused in the VHA despite a high prevalence of obesity in the veteran population, according to a new study, which added that real-world outcomes reports on use of drugs in veterans also have been limited.
Thyroid Dysfunction Affects Myocardial Disease in Older Patients
What is the relationship between thyroid dysfunction and measures of myocardial disease in older patients?
Better Detection Might Explain Higher Thyroid Cancer Rates in Military Cohort
Even though a previous study found higher papillary thyroid cancer incidence in the U.S. military than the general population—with larger differences among Black than white individuals—it did not provide an explanation for why that might be the case.
SGLT-2i, Testosterone Combo Can Increase Risk of Erythocytosis
Red blood cell production is stimulated with the combination of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i) and testosterone replacement therapy TRT), based on clinical trial findings.
A Fight Over In-Vitro Fertilization at VA, as Some Lawmakers Seek to End It
Conservative lawmakers are seeking to limit VA’s ability to provide family planning care on two very different fronts.
