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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
Breaking Barriers in Kidney Care: Cynthia Delgado’s Pioneering Efforts Lead to More Equitable Transplantation Practices at the VA
For more than two decades, the calculation of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) — a critical measure of kidney function — included race as a variable.
Review Finds Little Evidence That Massage Therapy Relieves Painful Health Conditions
For individuals seeking relief from painful health conditions, there’s low certainty of evidence that massage therapy will ease their pain, according to a recent review article.
New Algorithm Developed for Urinary Retention Evaluation, Catheterization
A new algorithm could improve care for adult inpatients who need to be evaluated for urinary retention and possible catheterization, according to a recent study.
Study: Propofol Use Should Be Minimized in Children With ALL
A study involving military researchers has raised concerns about the use of certain types of anesthesia in children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)
VHA Closely Follows Clinical Guidelines on Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy
When initiating gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) at the VHA, clinicians achieved high overall concordance between current GAHT initiation practices and guidelines, particularly for feminizing GAHT, according to a recent study.
Novel Psychotherapy Targeting Unresolved Trauma Reduces Chronic Pain in Older Adults Better Than Traditional CBT
Chronic pain in older adults can be significantly reduced using a newly developed psychotherapy called emotional awareness and expression therapy (EAET), which confronts past trauma and stress-related emotions that can exacerbate pain symptoms, according to a new study.
Shared Decision-Making Tool Promotes More Effective Use of Lung Cancer Screening
Research, including a new study of 57,000 U.S. veterans diagnosed with lung cancer, has shown that low-dose computed tomography lung cancer screening (LCS) saves lives.
Tracking Genetic Risk to Better Understand Which Veterans Have Alzheimer’s
Because of overlapping symptom profiles observed in cognitive disorders, psychiatric disorders, and environmental exposures such as head injury, clinicians can find it difficult to detect early signs of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD).
Pathogenic Variants Found in More Nonbladder Urinary Tract Cancer Patients
In an effort to evaluate factors that could affect the likelihood of identifying a clinically actionable germline pathogenic variant (PV), a new study investigated a real-world multicenter cohort of patients with urinary tract cancer (UTC).
Novel Genetic Associations Identified in So-Called Macular Pucker
Symptoms of epiretinal member (MRM), sometimes called macular pucker, can be severe and require surgery. Patients often complain of loss of central vision and/or visual distortion (i.e. metamorphopsia or “wavy vision”).
Highlights of the VA’s Contributions to Cancer Research
In the more than 90 years since the VA established its first tumor research laboratory at the Hines, Ill., VA hospital, the agency has published some of the most instrumental studies in cancer in the U.S.
Recurrent Hyperkalemia Found to Be Higher in Black, Hispanic Veterans
In U.S. veterans with incident hyperkalemia, the risk of recurrent hyperkalemia within one year is higher in Black and Hispanic patients, according to a recent study.
Supplements Marketed to Military Contain Dangerous, Illegal Substances
Dietary supplements for weight loss are widely promoted online and through social media, with many claiming to have the added benefits of building lean muscle and enhancing energy and performance.
Fewer Deaths After Serious Illness in Veterans Treated With PARC Care Model
After a serious illness, veterans who received medical care via the Post-Acute Recovery Center (PARC) model experienced fewer deaths and more days outside of the hospital compared to those not treated with PARC, according to a recent study.
Prospective Memory Deficits Explained in Multiple Sclerosis Patients
Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have been found to have prospective memory (PM) deficits. A new study sought to better understand how and why that occurs.
Veterans With MS Face Disparities in VA Smoking-Cessation Treatment
Even though smoking is a risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS) development, symptom burden, decreased medication efficacy and increased disease-related mortality, veterans with the disease continue to smoke at critically high rates, according to a new study.
Why Does Epstein-Barr Lead to Multiple Sclerosis in Some Patients?
Only a small proportion of patients infected with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) develop multiple sclerosis (MS). A new military study sought to determine why that is and what the underlying mechanisms are.
Kidney Disease Defined by KDIGO Guidelines Riskier for Veterans With HF
Is chronic kidney disease (CKD) diagnosed based on a single estimated glomerular filtration rate measurement significantly different from that diagnosed using the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guideline?
Editorial Director
Thanks to cutting-edge efforts to use targeted testing and strict guideline-adherence, the care of patients with serious illnesses is arguably better than ever at the VA and military healthcare systems.
VA Clinicians Tackle Issue of Defining and Combatting ‘Diabetes Distress’
The term “diabetes distress” is used to describe the emotional response to living with diabetes, a life-threatening illness that requires chronic and demanding self-management.
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.
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.
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.
