New findings concerning the risk of interstitial lung disease in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and how body composition and metabolic dysregulation are tied to RA and inflammation were among the highlights of research presented at the 20th Annual Fall Meeting of the VA Rheumatoid Arthritis (VARA) Registry held in September.
Higher CVD Events in Older Adults Undergoing Chemotherapy, With Certain Cancers
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a greater risk for cancer survivors because of either their malignancy or its treatment.
Sexual Orientation Affects Prevalence of Atherosclerotic CVD in Veterans
Sexual orientation appears to have some unexplained effect on cardiovascular health, according to a new study.
Prescribing of Antihypertensives Not Always Guideline Concordant at VHA
While more than half of U.S. veterans diagnosed with hypertension with a pretreatment systolic BP ≥160 mm Hg were started on antihypertensive monotherapy, disparities existed between guideline-recommended first-line treatments and the actual regimens initiated, according to a new study.
Understanding Long-Term Surgical Outcomes Can Help Ensure Treatments Align With Patient Priorities
Surgical outcome studies often focus on mortality, complications or hospital readmissions. While such outcomes are important, they don’t always align with matters most to older patients, particularly those nearing the end of life.
Audit, Feedback Increase HF Medication Management by VA Pharmacists
Giving more active feedback to primary care pharmacists about their heart failure patients led to more interactions and a greater number of medication adjustments, according to a presentation at a recent conference.
Operator of Fraudulent Pain Clinics Took Advantage of Veterans, Servicemembers, Others; Sentencing Scheduled for February
Michael Kestner, the owner and operator of medical clinics in Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina, was convicted last month in federal court of fraudulently billing Medicare and TRICARE for $35 million in unnecessary opioid injections.
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.
Did VA ‘Cry Wolf’ About Budget Shortfall? Legislators Claim It Did
Legislators are accusing VA of crying wolf after a recent budget update revealed that the department did not need $3 billion in supplemental benefits funding after all and that it might not be facing a healthcare funding shortfall next year, either.
How Will the Trump Administration Alter VA Operations? Some Pundits Say to Look at Project 2025 Proposals
As President-elect Donald Trump gathers his Cabinet and prepares to take office for the second time, questions remain about how this new administration will attempt to transform government agencies, including VA.
Federal Medicine’s Role in Uncovering How the Epstein-Barr Virus Relates to MS
We interviewed Lynn Levin, MD, formerly of the Department of Epidemiology, Division of Preventive Medicine, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, about the research that led to the discovery of the crucial role of the Epstein-Barr virus in the development of multiple sclerosis and several other autoimmune disorders.
Legislators Question Why VISN Leaders Were Unaware of Hampton VAMC Problems
Lawmakers are seeking answers to how quality control issues could manifest and then linger at the Hampton, VA, VAMC for years without VISN leaders being aware of them.
OIG Report Confirms VA Contention That Original Cerner Contract Created EHR Program Difficulties
Numerous reports have been issued and testimony given detailing the failures in VA’s Electronic Health Record Modernization project. VA officials and legislators have placed at least part of the blame on the original contract that VA signed with Cerner in 2018.
Costs of Diabetic Kidney Disease Called ‘Profound’ in the United States
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) affects about one-third of Type 2 diabetes patients, affecting quality of life and causing significant economic burdens on the healthcare system.
Taxpayers Likely Overpaid by Millions for Veterans Dual Enrolled in the VHA, Medicare Advantage
The federal government appeared to have been massively overpaying for care provided to veterans dually enrolled in VA healthcare and Medicare Advantage plans, according to a new analysis.
DHA Releases Flyer to Educate Servicemembers About Mpox Risk, Protection
In response to the August 2024 upsurge of mpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other Africa countries, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) has produced a new flyer: Mpox—What Servicemembers SHOULD KNOW.
Report Highlights the Needs and Importance of Military, Veteran Caregivers
More than 14 million Americans now provide daily care to wounded, ill or injured military servicemembers or veterans, according to a new RAND report commissioned by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation.
Congress Doesn’t Address VA’s PACT Act-Related $12 Billion Shortfall
Before going on recess through mid-November, Congress passed a continuing resolution to keep the federal government funded through Dec. 20, 2024. That resolution, however, did not address the $12 billion shortfall in VHA’s FY 2025 budget,
Why Hasn’t More Community Care Improved Veteran Mortality Rates?
In 2014, Congress enacted the Choice Act, followed by the MISSION Act in 2018. Introduced in response to concerns that delays in receiving VA care were negatively impacting veterans, these legislations were designed to simplify the process for veterans to access VA-purchased care.
Unintended Pregnancy Accounts for Loss of Almost 2.5 Million Military-Readiness Days
Almost 45% percent of pregnancies in the United States are unintended, with an estimated 4.5% of reproductive age women having an unintended pregnancy each year.
Overcoming Barriers to Veteran Participation in Outside-VA Cancer Clinical Trials
While clinical trials are essential for advancing treatment options in oncology and making certain patients receive innovative care, too few cancer patients are referred to them, according to a new study.
Care Access Doesn’t Explain Racial Disparities in Rectal Cancer
Does differential access to care explain racial disparities in treatment and outcomes of rectal cancer? A new study from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences suggested that other factors are likely to be at play.
New Study Warns About Increased Antibiotic Resistance Against Third-Generation Broad-Spectrum Antibiotics in VA Facilities
VHA facilities across the United States have experienced a concerning rise in antibiotic resistance to third-generation cephalosporins, a class of broad-spectrum antibiotics commonly used to treat the Enterobacterales bacterial species.
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).
Homelessness Substantially Increases Risk of Death in Veterans With CKD
U.S. veterans with a history of homelessness had a much greater risk of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and death, according to a new study, underscoring the role of housing as a social determinant of health.
Judge Requires VA to Build More Housing for Homeless in West Los Angeles
Last month, a federal judge provided an overwhelming victory to veterans who filed a class-action lawsuit against VA that sought to force the department to build more housing for homeless veterans on its West Los Angeles Medical Center campus.
Legislators: Efforts to Smoothly Transition Servicemembers to VA Falls Short
Legislators took DoD and VA to task for their failures to ensure that servicemembers, especially those in need of mental health services, receive a warm handoff from one department to the other upon discharge.
Congress Passed a $3 Billion Emergency Funding Bill to Help VA’s Budget Shortfall
Congress passed an emergency funding bill providing an additional $3 billion to VA to address an unexpected shortfall in the FY2024 budget for the Veterans Benefits Administration.
Much-Touted ATLAS Telehealth Booths Went Mostly Unused in Rural Areas
A recent report is calling into question the effectiveness of VA’s ATLAS program, a pilot telehealth initiative that places telehealth booths at non-VA community spaces in rural areas where veterans are more likely not to have access to high-speed internet. Veterans can use the booths to conduct telehealth appointments with VA providers.
What Is the Role of the X Chromosome in Alzheimer’s Disease Genetics?
The X chromosome makes up 5% of the human genome and carries a high proportion of genes expressed in the brain. Yet, it is a relatively unexplored as a potential source of genetic variation in AD, according to a new study.
