VA Research Wrap Up: New findings on substance use, diabetes and PTSD

VA’s Office of Research and Development recently published three News Briefs highlighting research findings on benzodiazepine use, diabetes and PTSD.

Online intervention helps Veterans reduce benzo dependence

Veterans using an online self-management program were five times more likely to stop using benzodiazepines, according to a VA Central Arkansas study.

Benzodiazepines are prescribed to treat conditions such as anxiety, insomnia and seizures, but long-term use can increase the risk of side-effects such as cognitive decline and falls, and can lead to addiction and overdose.

The Veteran-tailored intervention allowed users to self-assess their long-term benzodiazepine harm risk, including drug interactions. The online tools also included vignettes of peers who had successfully stopped using benzodiazepines and alternative options for managing sleep difficulties and anxiety. The success of the program demonstrates that a freely accessibly, patient-directed website can provide a low-cost option for benzodiazepine cessation. View the full study from “JAMA Network Open.”

High-sodium diet increases diabetes risk, potassium lowers risk

A VA Million Veteran Program study found high dietary sodium intake was linked to a greater risk of diabetes, while potassium had the inverse effect. In a survey of nearly 200,000 Veterans, those whose diets included higher levels of sodium had an 11% higher rate of developing diabetes, while those whose diets contained the highest levels of potassium had a 13% lower rate of diabetes. Those with a combination of high sodium and low potassium also had a 21% higher risk of diabetes. The findings suggest consuming less sodium and more potassium could help lower diabetes risk. View the full study from “Clinical Nutrition ESPEN.”

Three types of magnetic stimulation effective for treating PTSD

VA researchers in Providence, R.I., and Palo Alto, Calif., showed three different types of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can be effective treatments for PTSD. The researchers analyzed clinical outcomes from 756 Veterans with PTSD and depression who received either 10 Hz TMS, left prefrontal intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS), or deep TMS. All three TMS protocols produced significant treatment response rates, with nearly half of the Veterans achieving remission from PTSD.

TMS is an FDA-approved therapy that uses magnetic fields to noninvasively stimulate nerve cells in the brain, with the three different protocols targeting different parts of the brain and using different intensities. While previous research has suggested TMS is effective for PTSD, this is the first study large enough to show statistically significant benefits for all three protocols. View the full study from “Brain Stimulation.”

For more Office of Research and Development updates, visit ORD online or go to https://www.research.va.gov/news_briefs/.