Veterans Affairs News and Research

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Opinions on shutdown: Opening marketplaces makes this impasse different; don't repeal medical device tax; Democrats are 'intransigents'

It's different because the new health-care system got up and running on the very day the shutdown began. Conceding to the GOP would take health insurance away from people and ruin a program for which we now know there is a public appetite. It's not going to happen (E.J. Dionne Jr., 10/2).

4 Oct 2013

Study shows direct causative link between obesity and risk of pancreatic cancer in mice

Researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC) have found that mice made obese by being given high-calorie, high-fat diets (HFCD) developed abnormally high numbers of lesions known as pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasias (PanINs), which are known to be precursors to pancreas cancer.

1 Oct 2013

Research roundup: Managed care for dementia patients; bundled payments after the hospital; disparities among Medicare beneficiaries

Dementia is a leading cause of death in the United States; however, patients dying with this disease may not receive optimal end-of-life care. ... many of these [nursing home] residents commonly experience burdensome and costly interventions, such as hospital transfers, tube-feeding, and intravenous antibiotics. ... Nursing home reimbursement policies are among the factors that incentivize more aggressive care. ... This study linked unique prospective clinical data with Medicare claims to describe and compare patterns of care between nursing home residents with advanced dementia enrolled in a Medicare managed-care insurance plan and those with fee-for-service Medicare.

30 Sep 2013

Department of Defense backs tissue-engineering research for soldiers, civilians

A $75 million Department of Defense grant to improve technologies to treat soldiers injured on the battlefield and advance care for the public will involve bioengineers at Rice University and the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

30 Sep 2013

Doing yoga during menopause linked to less insomnia

Taking a 12-week yoga class and practicing at home was linked to less insomnia-but not to fewer or less bothersome hot flashes or night sweats. The link between yoga and better sleep was the only statistically significant finding in this MsFLASH (Menopause Strategies: Finding Lasting Answers for Symptoms and Health) Network randomized controlled trial.

29 Sep 2013

Disabled Veterans National Foundation offers support to VA's PCCC initiative

The Disabled Veterans National Foundation, a non-profit veterans service organization that focuses on helping men and women who serve and return home wounded or sick after defending our safety and our freedom, is offering its support to the Department of Veterans Affairs' new initiative to expand healthcare services to veterans.

27 Sep 2013

Older adults with poor kidney function have increased risk for adverse outcomes

Recent studies have shown that older adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD; defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate [GFR; a measure of kidney function] of less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) have a high prevalence of concurrent complications and increased risk for adverse outcomes including mortality, cardiovascular disease, and kidney failure.

25 Sep 2013

Researchers develop first imaging tool to examine myelin damage in MS

Researchers have made an exciting breakthrough - developing a first-of-its-kind imaging tool to examine myelin damage in multiple sclerosis (MS). An extremely difficult disease to diagnose, the tool will help physicians diagnose patients earlier, monitor the disease's progression, and evaluate therapy efficacy.

24 Sep 2013

Experts discuss ways to improve preoperative surgical site cleaning to minimize risk of infection

Infection is the most common complication of surgery and occurs at a rate of 1-15%. A group of experts from the Surgical Infection Society recently convened to discuss how to optimize the preoperative surgical site cleaning done by the patient to minimize the risk of infection.

20 Sep 2013

New blood test accurately differentiates viral and bacterial infections

A blood test developed by researchers at Duke Medicine showed more than 90-percent accuracy in distinguishing between viral and bacterial infections when tested in people with respiratory illnesses.

19 Sep 2013

Patients with pre-existing dementia may experience delirium when hospitalized

More than half of all patients with pre-existing dementia will experience delirium while hospitalized. Failing to detect and treat their delirium early leads to a faster decline of both their physical and mental health, according to health researchers.

17 Sep 2013

Financial incentives only partial solution for hypertension control

Providing financial incentives to general practitioners goes some way toward improving hypertension control in their patients, shows research published in JAMA.

16 Sep 2013

New technique provides better understanding of factors causing Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome

The first proteomic analysis of an animal model of a rare, sometimes deadly birth defect, Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome (SLOS), has revealed that the molecular mechanisms that cause it are more complex than previously understood.

12 Sep 2013

Financial incentives on hypertension care shows increased blood pressure control

In an examination of the effect of financial incentives on hypertension care at 12 outpatient clinics, physician-level (individual) financial incentives, but not practice-level or combined incentives, resulted in greater blood pressure control or appropriate response to uncontrolled blood pressure, according to a study in the September 11 issue of JAMA.

11 Sep 2013

Causes of obesity, insulin resistance tied to fructose generated by the body

Researchers at the University of Colorado School of Medicine reported today that the cause of obesity and insulin resistance may be tied to the fructose your body makes in addition to the fructose you eat.

11 Sep 2013

Researchers discover 4 novel gene variations linked with blood pressure

Case Western Reserve University is part of a landmark study that has discovered four novel gene variations associated with blood pressure. The 19-site meta-analysis, involving nearly 30,000 African-Americans, also found that the set of genetic mutations are also associated with blood pressure across other populations.

11 Sep 2013

For veterans, malpractice payouts reach 12-year high

Christopher Ellison went to a veterans medical center in Philadelphia to get eight teeth extracted in 2007. What should have been a routine dentist visit left him permanently incapacitated.

10 Sep 2013

HHV cleared of all lawsuit charges, continues to help veterans and their families

Help Hospitalized Veterans (HHV), the charitable organization that for more than 42 years has helped in the recovery of wounded, sick or disabled American veterans, announced today that the lawsuit brought by the California attorney general had been settled and that HHV will continue helping veterans reclaim their lives.

7 Sep 2013

Obama administration to provide veterans' same-sex spouses benefits

Attorney General Eric Holder told Congress in a letter that the recent Supreme Court decision clears the way for this change in policy.

6 Sep 2013

Case Western researchers establish Kruppel-like factors as master regulators of vascular health

Case Western Reserve researchers have identified a genetic factor that blocks the blood vessel inflammation that can lead to heart attacks, strokes and other potentially life-threatening events.

5 Sep 2013

Veterans Affairs News and Research

Opinions on shutdown: Opening marketplaces makes this impasse different; don't repeal medical device tax; Democrats are 'intransigents'

Study shows direct causative link between obesity and risk of pancreatic cancer in mice

Research roundup: Managed care for dementia patients; bundled payments after the hospital; disparities among Medicare beneficiaries

Department of Defense backs tissue-engineering research for soldiers, civilians

Doing yoga during menopause linked to less insomnia

Disabled Veterans National Foundation offers support to VA's PCCC initiative

Older adults with poor kidney function have increased risk for adverse outcomes

Researchers develop first imaging tool to examine myelin damage in MS

Experts discuss ways to improve preoperative surgical site cleaning to minimize risk of infection

New blood test accurately differentiates viral and bacterial infections

Patients with pre-existing dementia may experience delirium when hospitalized

Financial incentives only partial solution for hypertension control

New technique provides better understanding of factors causing Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome

Financial incentives on hypertension care shows increased blood pressure control

Causes of obesity, insulin resistance tied to fructose generated by the body

Researchers discover 4 novel gene variations linked with blood pressure

For veterans, malpractice payouts reach 12-year high

HHV cleared of all lawsuit charges, continues to help veterans and their families

Obama administration to provide veterans' same-sex spouses benefits

Case Western researchers establish Kruppel-like factors as master regulators of vascular health

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

How microplastics and bacteria interact to drive antibiotic resistance

Single-cell proteomics: Revealing proteome diversity from cellular heterogeneity to non-canonical biology

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