Coronary and Cerebrovascular Events and Exacerbation of Existing Conditions After Laboratory-Confirmed Influenza Infection Among US Veterans: A Self-Controlled Case Series Study.

Background: Influenza may contribute to coronary/cerebrovascular events and exacerbate underlying conditions.

Methods: We used self-controlled case series (SCCS) design to analyze data from US Veterans ≥18 years with coronary/cerebrovascular or exacerbation event +/-1 year of lab-confirmed influenza (LCI) during 2010-2018. We estimated the incidence ratio (IR) (95% CI) of the event for risk interval (Days 1-7 post-LCI) versus control interval (all other times +/-1 year of LCI) with fixed-effects conditional Poisson regression.

VA Big Data Science: A Model for Improved National Pandemic Response Present and Future.

Background: The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) enterprise approach to research (VA Research) has built a data-sharing framework available to all research teams within VA. Combined with robust analytic systems and tools available for investigators, VA Research has produced actionable results during the COVID-19 pandemic. Big data science techniques applied to VA's health care data demonstrate that medical research can be performed quickly and judiciously during nationwide health care emergencies.

Hypertension Control During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: A Cohort Study Among US Veterans.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Objective: We sought to examine whether disruptions in follow-up intervals contributed to hypertension control.

Background: Disruptions in health care were widespread during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Effectiveness of Sotrovimab in Preventing COVID-19-Related Hospitalizations or Deaths Among US Veterans During Omicron BA.1.

Background: The real-world clinical effectiveness of sotrovimab in preventing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related hospitalization or mortality among high-risk patients diagnosed with COVID-19, particularly after the emergence of the Omicron variant, needs further research.

Method: Using data from the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system, we adopted a target trial emulation design in our study. Veterans aged ≥18 years, diagnosed with COVID-19 between December 1, 2021, and April 4, 2022, were included.

Tixagevimab/cilgavimab for preventing COVID-19 during the Omicron surge: retrospective analysis of National Veterans Health Administration electronic data.

Little is known regarding the effectiveness of tixagevimab/cilgavimab in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection in vaccinated immunocompromised patients, particularly after the emergence of the Omicron variant. In this retrospective cohort study with exact matching and propensity score adjustment within the U.S.

Adverse outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection with delta and omicron variants in vaccinated versus unvaccinated US veterans: retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: To determine the association between covid-19 vaccination types and doses with adverse outcomes of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection during the periods of delta (B.1.617.

Excess Mortality Among Patients in the Veterans Affairs Health System Compared With the Overall US Population During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Importance: During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a substantial increase in the rate of death in the United States. It is unclear whether those who had access to comprehensive medical care through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system had different death rates compared with the overall US population.

Objective: To quantify and compare the increase in death rates during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic between individuals who received comprehensive medical care through the VA health care system and those in the general US population.

Clinical and Cost Benefits of Anti-Obesity Medication for US Veterans Participating in the MOVE! Weight Management Program.

This study investigated the clinical and economic impact of anti-obesity medications (AOMs; orlistat, liraglutide, phentermine/topiramate extended-release [ER], naltrexone ER/bupropion ER) among United States Veterans with obesity participating in Motivating Overweight/Obese Veterans Everywhere! (MOVE!), a government-initiated weight management program. The study population was identified from electronic medical records of the Veterans Health Administration (2010-2020). Clinical indices of obesity and health care resource utilization and costs were evaluated at 6, 12, and 24 months after the initial dispensing of an AOM in the AOM+MOVE! cohort ( = 3732, mean age 57 years, 79% male) or on the corresponding date of an inpatient or outpatient encounter in the MOVE! cohort ( = 7883, mean age 58 years, 81% male).

Burden of influenza hospitalization among high-risk groups in the United States.

Background: Seasonal influenza poses a substantial clinical and economic burden in the United States and vulnerable populations, including the elderly and those with comorbidities, are at elevated risk for influenza-related medical complications.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the IQVIA PharMetrics® Plus claims database in two stages. In Stage 1, we identified patients with evidence of medically-attended influenza during influenza seasons from October 1, 2014 to May 31, 2018 (latest available data for Stage 1) and used a multivariable logistic regression model to identify patient characteristics that predicted 30-day influenza-related hospitalization.

Effectiveness of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines against Omicron and Delta variants in a matched test-negative case-control study among US veterans.

Objective: To estimate the effectiveness of messenger RNA (mRNA) booster doses during the period of Delta and Omicron variant dominance.

Design: We conducted a matched test-negative case-control study to estimate the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of three and two doses of mRNA vaccines against infection (regardless of symptoms) and against COVID-19-related hospitalisation and death.

Setting: Veterans Health Administration.

Relative effectiveness of booster vs. 2-dose mRNA Covid-19 vaccination in the Veterans Health Administration: Self-controlled risk interval analysis.

Objective: To estimate relative effectiveness of the booster mRNA Covid-19 vaccination versus the 2-dose primary series for both Delta and Omicron variants with self-controlled study design.

Methods: We used the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Corporate Data Warehouse to identify U.S.

Impact of switching to infliximab biosimilars on treatment patterns among US veterans receiving innovator infliximab.

Objective: To compare treatment patterns of United States (US) veterans stable on innovator infliximab (IFX) who switched to an IFX biosimilar (switchers) or remained on innovator IFX (continuers).

Methods: US Veterans Healthcare Administration data (01/2012-12/2019) were used to identify adults with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), plaque psoriasis (PsO), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), or Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (i.e.

Influenza vaccine in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among elderly male veterans.

Background: Prior studies have established those elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are at elevated risk for developing influenza-associated complications such as hospitalization, intensive-care admission, and death. This study sought to determine whether influenza vaccination could improve survival among elderly patients with COPD.

Materials/methods: This study included Veterans (age ≥ 65 years) diagnosed with COPD that received care at the United States Veterans Health Administration (VHA) during four influenza seasons, from 2012-2013 to 2015-2016.

Estimated Effectiveness of COVID-19 Messenger RNA Vaccination Against SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Older Male Veterans Health Administration Enrollees, January to September 2021.

This case-control study examines estimated COVID-19 messenger RNA vaccination effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 infection from January to September 2021 among fully vaccinated male veterans aged 65 years or older.

Predictors of Incident Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Positivity in a Veteran Population.

Objectives: We explored factors related to testing positive for severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to identify populations most at risk for this airborne pathogen.

Methods: Data were abstracted from the medical record database of the U.S.

Coverage and Estimated Effectiveness of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines Among US Veterans.

Importance: Effectiveness of mRNA vaccinations in a diverse older population with high comorbidity is unknown.

Objectives: To describe the scope of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout among US veterans, and to estimate mRNA COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE) as measured by rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This matched test-negative case-control study was conducted using SARS-CoV-2 test results at Veterans Health Administration sites from December 14, 2020, to March 14, 2021.

Development and Validation of a Clinical Risk Score to Predict Hospitalization Within 30 Days of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Diagnosis.

Introduction: Early identification of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who are at risk for hospitalization may help to mitigate disease burden by allowing healthcare systems to conduct sufficient resource and logistical planning in the event of case surges. We sought to develop and validate a clinical risk score that uses readily accessible information at testing to predict individualized 30-day hospitalization risk following COVID-19 diagnosis.

Methods: We assembled a retrospective cohort of U.

Trends in COVID-19 cases and clinical management in Veterans Health Administration medical facilities: A national cohort study.

Objective: We explored longitudinal trends in sociodemographic characteristics, reported symptoms, laboratory findings, pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment, comorbidities, and 30-day in-hospital mortality among hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in the United States Veterans Health Administration between 03/01/20 and 08/31/20 and followed until 09/30/20. We focused our analysis on patients that were subsequently hospitalized, and categorized them into groups based on the month of hospitalization.

Symptomatic Herpes Simplex Virus Infection and Risk of Dementia in US Veterans: a Cohort Study.

A Taiwanese cohort study found that symptomatic herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection was associated with a threefold increased risk of developing dementia; however, antiherpetic medication reduced the risk by 90%. Our aim was to verify and further investigate this finding in the US Veteran population using comprehensive electronic medical records from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Eighty-seven thousand six hundred eighty-seven Veterans aged 50 or older with symptomatic HSV-1/HSV-2 infection and 217,895 matched controls were identified in VHA data between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2014, and followed until December 31, 2019.