Veterans Affairs News and Research

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Major breakthrough provides new insights into how tinnitus develops

Tinnitus is the most common service-related disability for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Often described as a ringing in the ears, more than 1.5 million former service members, one out of every two combat veterans, report having this sometimes debilitating condition, resulting in more than $2 billion dollars in annual disability payments by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

13 May 2015

Repetitive head injuries may accelerate aging process, increase dementia risk

Repetitive head injuries that occur during contact sports and military service may accelerate the aging process by increasing the build-up of beta-amyloid in the brain, leading to worse disease and an increased likelihood of developing dementia. In particular, boxers fared the worst among athletes and military veterans with a history of head injuries.

13 May 2015

Non-suicidal self-injury common among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans

Non-suicidal self-injury--that is, purposefully hurting oneself without conscious suicidal intent--is relatively common among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, according to a study published online April 1, 2015, in Psychiatry Research.

10 May 2015

Study finds link between PTSD and accelerated aging

In recent years, public health concerns about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have risen significantly, driven in part by affected military veterans returning from conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere. PTSD is associated with number of psychological maladies, among them chronic depression, anger, insomnia, eating disorders and substance abuse.

10 May 2015

Study confirms link between statin drugs and diabetes risk

In a database study of nearly 26,000 beneficiaries of Tricare, the military health system, those taking statin drugs to control their cholesterol were 87 percent more likely to develop diabetes.

8 May 2015

New guide helps doctors, nurses to identify hospital patients who may benefit from urinary catheter

What's the only thing worse than having a urinary catheter when you're in the hospital? Having one and getting a urinary tract infection (UTI) - or worse - as a result. Now, a new detailed guide gives doctors and nurses information to help decide which hospital patients may benefit from a urinary catheter - and which ones don't.

6 May 2015

Only few sexually assaulted servicewomen seek post-assault health care, study finds

Despite growing public awareness of sexual assault of women during their military service and increased efforts by the Department of Defense to deter sexual crimes and encourage reporting and help-seeking, a Veterans Affairs study suggests most female service members who experience sexual assault are still unlikely to seek post-assault health care, at least in the short term.

29 Apr 2015

High-dose flu vaccine more effective than standard dose for elders

If you're age 65 or older and go to your doctor or pharmacy for a flu shot, you may be offered two options: the standard vaccine, or a high-dose version that packs a stronger wallop to activate the immune system, which is weaker in seniors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says either vaccine is appropriate for this age group.

28 Apr 2015

Consortium of researchers awarded NIH grant to establish District of Columbia Center for AIDS Research

An interdisciplinary, city-wide consortium of researchers, led by Alan E. Greenberg, MD, MPH, professor and chair, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Milken Institute School of Public Health (Milken Institute SPH) at the George Washington University, has received a grant from the National Institutes of Health for an expected $7.5 million over five years to fund the newly established District of Columbia Center for AIDS Research.

28 Apr 2015

U-M study: Nearly half of American hospitals not taking key steps to prevent C. diff infections

Nearly half of American hospitals aren't taking key steps to prevent a kind of gut infection that kills nearly 30,000 people annually and sickens hundreds of thousands more - despite strong evidence that such steps work, according to a new study.

25 Apr 2015

Study explores innovative approach to identifying successful treatment for HER2+ breast cancer

Ahmad M. Khalil, PhD, knew the odds were against him -- as in thousands upon thousands to one. Yet he and his team never wavered from their quest to identify the parts of the body responsible for revving up one of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer, HER2+. This month in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, Khalil and his colleagues at Case Western Reserve University proved the power of persistence; from a pool of more than 30,000 possibilities, they found 38 genes and molecules that most likely trigger HER2+ cancer cells to spread.

25 Apr 2015

New study shows 'alarming rise' in costs of MS drugs over last 20 years

A new study shows an "alarming rise" over the last 20 years in the costs of drugs used to slow the progression of multiple sclerosis or reduce the frequency of attacks, according to a study led by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University and Oregon State University.

25 Apr 2015

Dry eye strikes most often in spring

New ophthalmology research from the University of Miami shows that dry eye - the little understood culprit behind red, watery, gritty feeling eyes - strikes most often in spring, just as airborne allergens are surging.

24 Apr 2015

Case Western Reserve and MIT receive $1.7 million to explore potential treatments for Down syndrome

Thanks to the generosity of a philanthropy dedicated to children's issues, renowned Down syndrome researcher Alberto Costa, MD, PhD, has taken yet another step toward making Northeast Ohio the nation's leader in exploring potential treatments of the genetic condition that affects 400,000 people in the U.S.

23 Apr 2015

Kit Check awarded VA Federal Supply Schedule contract

Kit Check, the leader in hospital pharmacy kit processing and medication tracking software, today announced that the US Department of Veterans Affairs has awarded the company a Federal Supply Schedule (FSS). This schedule provides a procurement vehicle for VA hospital pharmacies to use in acquiring Kit Check solutions.

22 Apr 2015

Two existing drugs may reverse damage caused by multiple sclerosis

A pair of topical medicines already alleviating skin conditions each may prove to have another, even more compelling use: instructing stem cells in the brain to reverse damage caused by multiple sclerosis.

21 Apr 2015

Study reveals new target for research into liver disease

In a recent study, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine researchers predicted which cirrhosis patients would suffer inflammations and require hospitalization by analyzing their saliva, revealing a new target for research into a disease that accounts for more than 30,000 deaths in the United States each year.

20 Apr 2015

E-cigarette users less likely to quit smoking, shows study

The rapid increase in use of e-cigarettes has led to heated debates between opponents who question the safety of these devices and proponents who claim the battery-operated products are a useful cessation tool.

17 Apr 2015

Latest findings regarding nitric oxide offer new avenues to save lives

Professor Jonathan Stamler's latest findings regarding nitric oxide have the potential to reshape fundamentally the way we think about the respiratory system - and offer new avenues to save lives. It may be time to rewrite the textbooks.

13 Apr 2015

fMRI can predict language development outcomes in ASD toddlers

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), University of California, San Diego School of Medicine researchers say it may be possible to predict future language development outcomes in toddlers with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), even before they've been formally diagnosed with the condition.

10 Apr 2015