2024
Hypertension Control During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic
Korves C, Peixoto A, Lucas B, Davies L, Weinberger D, Rentsch C, Vashi A, Young-Xu Y, King J, Asch S, Justice A. Hypertension Control During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic. Medical Care 2024, 62: 196-204. PMID: 38284412, PMCID: PMC10922611, DOI: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001971.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHypertension controlFollow-up intervalPrimary care clinic visitsFollow-up lengthVeterans Health AdministrationControlled hypertensionUncontrolled hypertensionGeneralized estimating equationsCohort of individualsStudy inclusion criteriaHealth careHealth AdministrationLonger follow-up intervalsBlood pressure measurementsAssessed associationsClinic visitsInclusion criteriaDecreased likelihoodEstimating equationsPrepandemic periodLow likelihoodCoronavirus diseaseFollow-upHypertensionIndividualsHerpes Zoster and Risk of Incident Parkinson's Disease in US Veterans: A Matched Cohort Study
Tunnicliffe L, Weil R, Breuer J, Rodriguez‐Barradas M, Smeeth L, Rentsch C, Warren‐Gash C. Herpes Zoster and Risk of Incident Parkinson's Disease in US Veterans: A Matched Cohort Study. Movement Disorders 2024, 39: 438-444. PMID: 38226430, PMCID: PMC10922272, DOI: 10.1002/mds.29701.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsUS Department of Veterans AffairsCohort studyRisk of incident PDDepartment of Veterans AffairsCox proportional hazards regressionIncident Parkinson's diseaseAssociated with increased riskHistory of HZMatched cohort studyProportional hazards regressionRisk of PDHerpes zosterIncident PDRisk of incident Parkinson's diseaseVeterans AffairsIncident HZUS veteransPD overallHazards regressionPD riskParkinson's diseaseIncreased riskMatched individualsUS DepartmentAssociated with Parkinson's disease
2023
Excess mortality in US Veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic: an individual-level cohort study
Weinberger D, Bhaskaran K, Korves C, Lucas B, Columbo J, Vashi A, Davies L, Justice A, Rentsch C. Excess mortality in US Veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic: an individual-level cohort study. International Journal Of Epidemiology 2023, 52: 1725-1734. PMID: 37802889, PMCID: PMC10749763, DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyad136.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsExcess mortality ratesExcess mortalityComorbidity burdenHazard ratioCohort studyMortality rateVeterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) IndexIndividual-level cohort studyVeterans AffairsCOVID-19 pandemicLarge integrated healthcare systemExcess mortality patternsHigher comorbidity burdenLower comorbidity burdenMost frail patientsCharlson Comorbidity IndexObservational cohort studyClinical risk groupsIntegrated healthcare systemLeast frailComorbidity indexFrail patientsPre-pandemic periodMedian ageUS veteransRacial and Ethnic Bias in the Diagnosis of Alcohol Use Disorder in Veterans
Vickers-Smith R, Justice A, Becker W, Rentsch C, Curtis B, Fernander A, Hartwell E, Ighodaro E, Kember R, Tate J, Kranzler H. Racial and Ethnic Bias in the Diagnosis of Alcohol Use Disorder in Veterans. American Journal Of Psychiatry 2023, 180: 426-436. PMID: 37132202, PMCID: PMC10238581, DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.21111097.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAlcohol use disorderAlcohol consumptionAUD diagnosisHispanic veteransWhite veteransUse disordersPrevalence of AUDAlcohol Use Disorders Identification TestUnhealthy alcohol useICD-10 codesAUDIT-C scoresSelf-reported alcohol consumptionAlcohol-related disordersDiagnosis of AUDDisorders Identification TestMaximum scoreSelf-reported raceElectronic health recordsPrimary outcomeAlcohol consumption levelsPotential confoundersHigh prevalenceMillion Veteran ProgramGreater oddsICD-9Excess Mortality Among Patients in the Veterans Affairs Health System Compared With the Overall US Population During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Weinberger D, Rose L, Rentsch C, Asch S, Columbo J, King J, Korves C, Lucas B, Taub C, Young-Xu Y, Vashi A, Davies L, Justice A. 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. JAMA Network Open 2023, 6: e2312140. PMID: 37155169, PMCID: PMC10167568, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.12140.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGeneral US populationVA health care systemHealth care systemComprehensive medical careOverall US populationRate of deathVA populationUS populationDeath rateCohort studyExcess mortalityCare systemCOVID-19 pandemicMedical careVeterans Affairs Health Care SystemVeterans Affairs Health SystemHealth systemVA health systemFirst yearVA health careStandardized mortality rateAdult age groupsVA enrolleesMAIN OUTCOMEGeneral populationEffects of topiramate therapy on serum bicarbonate concentration in a sample of 10,279 veterans
Naps M, Leong S, Hartwell E, Rentsch C, Kranzler H. Effects of topiramate therapy on serum bicarbonate concentration in a sample of 10,279 veterans. Alcohol Clinical And Experimental Research 2023, 47: 438-447. PMID: 36810985, DOI: 10.1111/acer.15011.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSerum bicarbonate concentrationAlcohol use disorderMetabolic acidosisMEq/LAlcohol consumptionTopiramate therapyAlcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption scoresVeterans Health Administration electronic health record dataBicarbonate concentrationPropensity score-matched control groupPropensity score-matched controlsMean daily dosageSignificant metabolic acidosisElectronic health record dataDiagnosis of AUDHealth record dataBaseline alcohol consumptionDifferences linear regression modelThree-level measureAcid-base balanceTopiramate dosageTopiramate prescriptionsMean followTopiramate treatmentDaily dosage
2022
Potentially inappropriate medication use by level of polypharmacy among US Veterans 49–64 and 65–70 years old
Guillot J, Rentsch CT, Gordon KS, Justice AC, Bezin J. Potentially inappropriate medication use by level of polypharmacy among US Veterans 49–64 and 65–70 years old. Pharmacoepidemiology And Drug Safety 2022, 31: 1056-1074. PMID: 35780391, PMCID: PMC9464694, DOI: 10.1002/pds.5506.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLevel of polypharmacyRace/ethnicityPIM prevalencePrevalence of PIMsInappropriate medication useElectronic health recordsCommon PIMsPharmacy fillsPROMPT criteriaInappropriate medicationsOlder patientsMedication usePsychotropic medicationsRefill recordsPolypharmacyPatientsVeterans AffairsMedicationsPrevalenceHealth recordsFiscal year 2016AgeMeaningful differencesSexTarget age
2021
HIV care using differentiated service delivery during the COVID‐19 pandemic: a nationwide cohort study in the US Department of Veterans Affairs
McGinnis KA, Skanderson M, Justice AC, Akgün KM, Tate JP, King JT, Rentsch CT, Marconi VC, Hsieh E, Ruser C, Kidwai‐Khan F, Yousefzadeh R, Erdos J, Park LS. HIV care using differentiated service delivery during the COVID‐19 pandemic: a nationwide cohort study in the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Journal Of The International AIDS Society 2021, 24: e25810. PMID: 34713585, PMCID: PMC8554215, DOI: 10.1002/jia2.25810.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsCohort StudiesCOVID-19FemaleHIV InfectionsHumansMalePandemicsSARS-CoV-2United StatesVeteransConceptsVeterans AffairsClinic visitsCohort studyVL testARV coverageCOVID-19 pandemicVeterans Aging Cohort StudyHIV healthcare deliveryNationwide cohort studyAging Cohort StudyViral load testsDifferentiated service deliveryHealthcare deliveryHIV careMost patientsPharmacy recordsVL testingCalendar periodHealthcare encountersOverall healthARVVirtual healthcareVirtual visitsVisitsService deliveryAccuracy of the Veterans Health Administration COVID-19 (VACO) Index for predicting short-term mortality among 1307 US academic medical centre inpatients and 427 224 US Medicare patients
King JT, Yoon JS, Bredl ZM, Habboushe JP, Walker GA, Rentsch CT, Tate JP, Kashyap NM, Hintz RC, Chopra AP, Justice AC. Accuracy of the Veterans Health Administration COVID-19 (VACO) Index for predicting short-term mortality among 1307 US academic medical centre inpatients and 427 224 US Medicare patients. Journal Of Epidemiology & Community Health 2021, 76: 254-260. PMID: 34583962, PMCID: PMC8483922, DOI: 10.1136/jech-2021-216697.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVACO IndexShort-term mortalityAcademic medical centerCause mortalityMedicare inpatientMedical CenterSingle US academic medical centerCOVID-19 indexTime of diagnosisUS academic medical centersUS Medicare patientsGreater clinical attentionCOVID-19SARS-CoV-2Nationwide cohortComorbidity diagnosesMedicare cohortInpatient populationUS veteransMedicare patientsHospital dataMedicare dataOutpatient dataClinical attentionInpatientsPharmacoepidemiology, Machine Learning, and COVID-19: An Intent-to-Treat Analysis of Hydroxychloroquine, With or Without Azithromycin, and COVID-19 Outcomes Among Hospitalized US Veterans
Gerlovin H, Posner DC, Ho YL, Rentsch CT, Tate JP, King JT, Kurgansky KE, Danciu I, Costa L, Linares FA, Goethert ID, Jacobson DA, Freiberg MS, Begoli E, Muralidhar S, Ramoni RB, Tourassi G, Gaziano JM, Justice AC, Gagnon DR, Cho K. Pharmacoepidemiology, Machine Learning, and COVID-19: An Intent-to-Treat Analysis of Hydroxychloroquine, With or Without Azithromycin, and COVID-19 Outcomes Among Hospitalized US Veterans. American Journal Of Epidemiology 2021, 190: 2405-2419. PMID: 34165150, PMCID: PMC8384407, DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwab183.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAgedAged, 80 and overAnti-Bacterial AgentsAzithromycinCOVID-19COVID-19 Drug TreatmentDrug Therapy, CombinationFemaleHospitalizationHumansHydroxychloroquineIntention to Treat AnalysisMachine LearningMaleMiddle AgedPharmacoepidemiologyRetrospective StudiesSARS-CoV-2Treatment OutcomeUnited StatesVeteransConceptsUS veteransCOVID-19Veterans Affairs Health Care SystemRecent randomized clinical trialsAdministration of hydroxychloroquineEffectiveness of hydroxychloroquineRisk of intubationEffect of hydroxychloroquineElectronic health record dataRandomized clinical trialsTreatment of patientsUS veteran populationCOVID-19 outcomesCoronavirus disease 2019Health record dataRigorous study designsHealth care systemSurvival benefitTreat analysisEarly therapyHospitalized populationClinical trialsObservational studyDisease 2019HydroxychloroquineLong-term Patterns of Self-reported Opioid Use, VACS Index, and Mortality Among People with HIV Engaged in Care
Adams JW, Li Y, Barry DT, Gordon KS, Kerns RD, Oldfield BJ, Rentsch CT, Marshall BDL, Edelman EJ. Long-term Patterns of Self-reported Opioid Use, VACS Index, and Mortality Among People with HIV Engaged in Care. AIDS And Behavior 2021, 25: 2951-2962. PMID: 33569682, PMCID: PMC8442670, DOI: 10.1007/s10461-021-03162-7.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2020
Patterns of COVID-19 testing and mortality by race and ethnicity among United States veterans: A nationwide cohort study
Rentsch CT, Kidwai-Khan F, Tate JP, Park LS, King JT, Skanderson M, Hauser RG, Schultze A, Jarvis CI, Holodniy M, Re V, Akgün KM, Crothers K, Taddei TH, Freiberg MS, Justice AC. Patterns of COVID-19 testing and mortality by race and ethnicity among United States veterans: A nationwide cohort study. PLOS Medicine 2020, 17: e1003379. PMID: 32960880, PMCID: PMC7508372, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003379.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdultAgedAged, 80 and overBetacoronavirusBlack or African AmericanClinical Laboratory TechniquesCohort StudiesCoronavirus InfectionsCOVID-19COVID-19 TestingEthnicityFemaleHispanic or LatinoHumansMaleMiddle AgedPandemicsPneumonia, ViralRetrospective StudiesSARS-CoV-2United StatesVeteransWhite PeopleYoung AdultConceptsCOVID-19 testingRace/ethnicityCohort studyWhite individualsSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infectionAcute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infectionSyndrome coronavirus 2 infectionSARS-CoV-2 infectionCOVID-19Large integrated healthcare systemCoronavirus 2 infectionNationwide cohort studyRetrospective cohort studyCoronavirus disease 2019Site of careIntegrated healthcare systemNon-Hispanic blacksPositive test resultsNon-Hispanic whitesClinical characteristicsMultivariable adjustmentComorbid conditionsMedication historyEthnic minority communitiesDisease 2019Safety of Gabapentin Prescribed for Any Indication in a Large Clinical Cohort of 571,718 US Veterans with and without Alcohol Use Disorder
Rentsch CT, Morford KL, Fiellin DA, Bryant KJ, Justice AC, Tate JP. Safety of Gabapentin Prescribed for Any Indication in a Large Clinical Cohort of 571,718 US Veterans with and without Alcohol Use Disorder. Alcohol Clinical And Experimental Research 2020, 44: 1807-1815. PMID: 32628784, PMCID: PMC7540277, DOI: 10.1111/acer.14408.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAlcohol use disorderMental statusRelative riskGabapentin exposureUse disordersICD-9 diagnostic codesAdverse neurologic effectsPotential medication interactionsAltered mental statusIncidence of fallsClear dose-response relationshipLarge clinical cohortDose-response relationshipRace/ethnicityUnexposed patientsHepatitis CAdverse eventsMedication interactionsExcess riskNeurologic effectsUS veteransDiagnostic codesIncidence rateClinical cohortHigh risk
2019
Patterns and Correlates of Prescription Opioid Receipt Among US Veterans: A National, 18-Year Observational Cohort Study
Rentsch CT, Edelman EJ, Justice AC, Marshall BDL, Xu K, Smith AH, Crystal S, Gaither JR, Gordon AJ, Smith RV, Kember RL, Polimanti R, Gelernter J, Fiellin DA, Tate JP, Kranzler HR, Becker WC. Patterns and Correlates of Prescription Opioid Receipt Among US Veterans: A National, 18-Year Observational Cohort Study. AIDS And Behavior 2019, 23: 3340-3349. PMID: 31317364, PMCID: PMC7344341, DOI: 10.1007/s10461-019-02608-3.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOpioid use disorderOpioid receiptCohort studyLong-term opioid therapyVeterans Aging Cohort StudyLatent growth mixture modellingPrescription opioid receiptObservational cohort studyAging Cohort StudyOpioid therapyCause mortalityHepatitis COpioid prescriptionsFuture prevention researchOUD diagnosisGrowth mixture modellingUS veteransHigh prevalenceLow doseHigh incidenceUse disordersPrevention researchGenetic discoveriesReceiptHIVImproved discrimination of mortality with Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) Index 2.0 in HIV-positive individuals
Tate JP, Sterne JAC, Justice AC. Improved discrimination of mortality with Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) Index 2.0 in HIV-positive individuals. AIDS 2019, Publish Ahead of Print: &na;. PMID: 30649058, PMCID: PMC6749990, DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000002140.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsWhite blood countC-statisticBlood countVeterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) IndexAntiretroviral Therapy Cohort CollaborationDiscrimination of mortalityVACS Index 2.0Antiretroviral therapy initiationCD4 cell countHIV-positive populationHarrell's C-statisticHIV-1 RNAHIV-positive individualsKaplan-Meier plotsCohort CollaborationNadir CD4VAC patientsAntiretroviral therapyCause mortalityCD8 ratioTherapy initiationViral suppressionGeneral healthExcess mortalityLaboratory valuesAssociation Between Gabapentin Receipt for Any Indication and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test—Consumption Scores Among Clinical Subpopulations With and Without Alcohol Use Disorder
Rentsch CT, Fiellin DA, Bryant KJ, Justice AC, Tate JP. Association Between Gabapentin Receipt for Any Indication and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test—Consumption Scores Among Clinical Subpopulations With and Without Alcohol Use Disorder. Alcohol Clinical And Experimental Research 2019, 43: 522-530. PMID: 30620410, PMCID: PMC6397056, DOI: 10.1111/acer.13953.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAlcohol use disorderAlcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption scoresAUDIT-C scoresAlcohol consumptionUnexposed patientsClinical trialsUse disordersBaseline levelsVeterans Aging Cohort StudyDoses of gabapentinAging Cohort StudyImpact of gabapentinSubstance use treatmentDifferences linear regression modelGabapentin doseCohort studyCurrent medicationsBaseline auditMultivariable differenceClinical indicationsAUD historyPatientsGabapentinClinical subpopulationsConsecutive days
2018
Provider verification of electronic health record receipt and nonreceipt of direct-acting antivirals for the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection
Rentsch CT, Cartwright EJ, Gandhi NR, Brown ST, Rodriguez-Barradas MC, Goetz MB, Marconi VC, Gibert CL, Re VL, Fiellin DA, Justice AC, Tate JP. Provider verification of electronic health record receipt and nonreceipt of direct-acting antivirals for the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection. Annals Of Epidemiology 2018, 28: 808-811. PMID: 30195616, PMCID: PMC6318448, DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2018.08.007.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHepatitis C virus infectionCorporate Data WarehouseChronic HCV infectionC virus infectionPositive predictive valuePredictive valueHCV infectionHCV treatmentVirus infectionVeterans Health Administration Corporate Data WarehouseChronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infectionStudy periodModern treatment eraRetrospective cohort studyElectronic health record dataPharmacy fill recordsHealth record dataNegative predictive valueElectronic health recordsAntiviral regimenHCV therapyTreatment eraChart reviewCohort studyAntiviral treatment
2016
Baseline, Time-Updated, and Cumulative HIV Care Metrics for Predicting Acute Myocardial Infarction and All-Cause Mortality
Salinas JL, Rentsch C, Marconi VC, Tate J, Budoff M, Butt AA, Freiberg MS, Gibert CL, Goetz MB, Leaf D, Rodriguez-Barradas MC, Justice AC, Rimland D. Baseline, Time-Updated, and Cumulative HIV Care Metrics for Predicting Acute Myocardial Infarction and All-Cause Mortality. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2016, 63: 1423-1430. PMID: 27539575, PMCID: PMC5106607, DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciw564.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAcute myocardial infarctionIncident acute myocardial infarctionVeterans Aging Cohort StudyCombination antiretroviral therapyCardiovascular risk factorsHIV-1 RNAVACS IndexHazard ratioMyocardial infarctionRisk factorsMultivariable proportional hazards modelsVACS Index scoreLast clinic visitAging Cohort StudyHuman immunodeficiency virusProportional hazards modelCART initiationAntiretroviral therapyCause mortalityCD4 countClinic visitsCohort studyOrgan injuryPrimary outcomeImmunodeficiency virusCohort Profile: The HIV Atlanta Veterans Affairs Cohort Study (HAVACS)
Guest JL, Moanna A, Wirtz S, Caruth EC, Rentsch C, Marconi VC, Rimland D. Cohort Profile: The HIV Atlanta Veterans Affairs Cohort Study (HAVACS). International Journal Of Epidemiology 2016, 46: 790-791g. PMID: 27272185, DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyw071.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2015
Alcohol-Related Diagnoses and All-Cause Hospitalization Among HIV-Infected and Uninfected Patients: A Longitudinal Analysis of United States Veterans from 1997 to 2011
Rentsch C, Tate JP, Akgün KM, Crystal S, Wang KH, Ryan Greysen S, Wang EA, Bryant KJ, Fiellin DA, Justice AC, Rimland D. Alcohol-Related Diagnoses and All-Cause Hospitalization Among HIV-Infected and Uninfected Patients: A Longitudinal Analysis of United States Veterans from 1997 to 2011. AIDS And Behavior 2015, 20: 555-564. PMID: 25711299, PMCID: PMC4550577, DOI: 10.1007/s10461-015-1025-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAlcohol-related diagnosesHospitalization ratesUnited States veteransUninfected patientsCause hospitalizationHIV infectionStates veteransUninfected individualsMultivariable Cox proportional hazards modelsCox proportional hazards modelOverall hospitalization rateProportional hazards modelCancer admissionsAntiretroviral therapyMultivariable adjustmentHIV serostatusComorbidity variablesHospitalization trendsRelative riskHigh riskHazards modelHIVHospitalizationDisease categoriesPatients