Early Mortality After the First Dose of COVID-19 Vaccination: A Target Trial Emulation.

Background: Vaccine hesitancy persists alongside concerns about the safety of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines. We aimed to examine the effect of COVID-19 vaccination on risk of death among US veterans.

Methods: We conducted a target trial emulation to estimate and compare risk of death up to 60 days under two COVID-19 vaccination strategies: vaccination within 7 days of enrollment versus no vaccination through follow-up.

Incidence Rates and Clinical Characteristics of Patients With Confirmed Myocarditis or Pericarditis Following COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination: Experience of the Veterans Health Administration Through 9 October 2022.

Background: Although the benefits outweigh the risks, COVID-19 vaccines have been associated with an increased risk of myocarditis and pericarditis. This report is based on a national US veteran population with confirmed myocarditis/pericarditis following mRNA COVID-19 vaccines according to the near real-time active surveillance program of Veterans Affairs.

Methods: This study is based on a cohort evaluation of all adults administered ≥1 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, including boosters, in the Veterans Health Administration between 14 December 2020 and 9 October 2022.

Assessment of Use and Safety of Edaravone for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in the Veterans Affairs Health Care System.

Importance: Using real-world data, the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) initiated a surveillance evaluation of edaravone after its approval for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in 2017. The use and safety of edaravone for patients with ALS in the VA health care system remain to be assessed.

Objective: To describe a pharmacovigilance surveillance initiative with edaravone to monitor patient characteristics, utilization (edaravone cycles and riluzole use), and safety and to evaluate safety/effectiveness.

Comparison of clinical pharmacy specialists and usual care in outpatient management of hyperglycemia in Veterans Affairs medical centers.

Purpose: The results of a study to assess the effectiveness and safety of hyperglycemia management provided by clinical pharmacy specialists (CPSs) versus usual care in outpatients with diabetes from 53 Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers are reported.

Methods: An historical cohort study of outpatients with baseline glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values of >9% who were referred to a CPS for management of hyperglycemia and primary care patients who were not referred to a CPS was conducted. The primary outcomes were change in HbA1c over time and time to reach an HbA1c value of <8%.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Medication and Unintentional Injuries in Children and Adolescents.

Objective: Our objective was to determine whether attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication is associated with a decreased risk of unintentional injuries in children and adolescents in the United States across sexes, age groups and injury types.

Method: We used de-identified inpatient, outpatient, and filled prescription claims data from the Truven Health MarketScan Research Databases. Individuals were followed from January 1, 2005, date of first ADHD diagnosis, or medication prescription, or age 6 years, whichever occurred last, until December 31, 2014, first healthcare insurance disenrollment, or the first year at which their age was recorded as 19 years, whichever occurred first.

Association Between Groundwater Lithium and the Diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder and Dementia in the United States.

This study examines the association between groundwater lithium and diagnoses of bipolar disorder and dementia in the United States, adjusting for local health care resources and demographics.

Entacapone and prostate cancer in Parkinson's disease patients: A large Veterans Affairs healthcare system study.

Background: An increased incidence of prostate cancer was observed in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients treated with entacapone during a pre-approval randomized clinical trial; the relation has not been robustly investigated in the U.S. ambulatory setting.

Association of Mental Health Conditions and Treatments With Long-term Opioid Analgesic Receipt Among Adolescents.

Importance: Adults with mental health conditions are more likely than those without to receive long-term opioid therapy. Less is known about opioid therapy among adolescents, especially those with mental health conditions.

Objective: To examine associations between preexisting mental health conditions and treatments and initiation of any opioid and long-term opioid therapy among adolescents.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medication and seizures.

Objective: Individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at increased risk of seizures, but there is uncertainty about whether ADHD medication treatment increases risk among patients with and without preexisting seizures.

Methods: We followed a sample of 801,838 patients with ADHD who had prescribed drug claims from the Truven Health MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters databases to examine whether ADHD medication increases the likelihood of seizures among ADHD patients with and without a history of seizures. First, we assessed overall risk of seizures among patients with ADHD.

ADHD Medication and Substance-Related Problems.

Objective: Substance use disorders are major contributors to excess mortality among individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), yet associations between pharmacological ADHD treatment and substance-related problems remain unclear. This study investigated concurrent and long-term associations between ADHD medication treatment and substance-related events.

Method: The authors analyzed 2005-2014 commercial health care claims from 2,993,887 (47.

Association Between Medication Use for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Risk of Motor Vehicle Crashes.

Importance: Motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) are a major public health problem. Research has demonstrated that individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more likely to experience MVCs, but the effect of ADHD medication treatment on the risk of MVCs remains unclear.

Objective: To explore associations between ADHD medication use and risk of MVCs in a large cohort of patients with ADHD.

Association of Perioperative Statin Use With Mortality and Morbidity After Major Noncardiac Surgery.

Importance: The efficacy of statins in reducing perioperative cardiovascular and other organ system complications in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery remains controversial. Owing to a paucity of randomized clinical trials, analyses of large databases may facilitate informed hypothesis generation and more efficient trial design.

Objective: To evaluate associations of early perioperative statin use with outcomes in a national cohort of veterans undergoing noncardiac surgery.

Incident and long-term opioid therapy among patients with psychiatric conditions and medications: a national study of commercial health care claims.

There is growing evidence that opioid prescribing in the United States follows a pattern in which patients who are at the highest risk of adverse outcomes from opioids are more likely to receive long-term opioid therapy. These patients include, in particular, those with substance use disorders (SUDs) and other psychiatric conditions. This study examined health insurance claims among 10,311,961 patients who filled prescriptions for opioids.

A comparison of neuropsychiatric adverse events during early treatment with varenicline or a nicotine patch.

Aims: We compared the risk of mental health episodes requiring hospitalization (primary aim) or out-patient clinic visits (secondary aim) associated with varenicline versus the nicotine patch (NP) in an era prior to psychiatric boxed warnings.

Design: Retrospective cohort.

Setting: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), USA.