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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2021 Jul 1.
Published in final edited form as: J Psychosom Res. 2020 May 4;134:110128. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2020.110128

Appendix 1.

Variable definitions table

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) - ≥1 ICD9 diagnosis code or revascularization CPT/ICD9 procedure codes
  1. ICD-9 diagnosis codes for any of the following conditions:
    1. hypertensive heart disease: 402x, 403x*, 404x, 405x*
    2. MI: 410x, 411x
    3. Ischemic heart disease: 412x, 413x, 414x
    4. disease of pulm circulation: 415x*, 416x*, 417x*
    5. other heart disease: 420x-424x*, 429.0*, 425x-428x, 429.1x - 429.9x

  2. CPT codes (outpatient clinic stop files): 35450–35459; 35470–35475; 35480–35495; 92980, 92981, 92984, 92995, 92996; 33510–33536; 33572; 37220–37235; 92920–92944; 0234T-0238T; G0290, G0291; S2211; S2222; S2204-S2209

  3. ICD-9 procedure codes (inpatient procedure files): 36.0x – 36.3x

All patients with a revascularization code also had an ICD9 code for cardiovascular disease *used to exclude prevalent CVD. Not used for CVD outcome.
PCL checklist score difference (range of scores for PCL is 17–85)
First PCL and last PCL in exposure year must be at least 8 weeks apart. A significant PCL decrease is defined as ≥ 20 point decrease (yes or no)
First PCL severity
Severe - 70–85
Moderate - 50–69
End of follow-up = CVD date or last visit date if no CVD
Baseline sociodemographics: Age, Gender, Race, marital status, VA only insurance
Primary healthcare utilization - number of unique primary care clinic stops per total months in entire VA system. Total months is calculated from first visit date to any VA facility in FY08 to FY15 to the index date. Stop codes from first VA visit to index date: 170, 172, 301, 322, 323, 348, 350
Depression –Presence of a single inpatient code or ≥2 outpatient codes within a 12 month period. Measured prior to index date. (296.2x, 296.3x, 311)
Other anxiety – Presence of a single inpatient code or ≥2 outpatient codes within a 12 month period. Measured prior to index date. Composite of panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder, anxiety nos (300.00, 300.01, 300.02, 300.23, 300.3)
Sleep disorder - At least a single code for 307.4x, 327.x, 780.5x, 333.94 before index date
Substance abuse/dependence –Presence in record of at least a single code for any alcohol or drug/abuse dependence before index date. Composite of alcohol (303.9x, 305.0x), sedative (304.1x, 305.4x), cocaine (304.2x, 305.6x), cannabis (304.3x, 305.2x), amphetamine (304.4x, 305.7x), hallucinogens (304.5x, 305.3x), ‘other’ (304.6x, 305.9x), opioid (304.0x, 305.5x), opioid with other SUD (304.7x), other SUD excluding opioid (304.8x), unspecified drug abuse/dependence (304.9x).
Smoking/nicotine dependence – Never vs. Former vs. Current at index

  1. Current - “current smoker” in health factors or ICD9 code for nicotine dependence (V15.82, 305.1) before index date.

  2. Former - never has a “current smoking” indicator and has an indicator for “former smoker” in health factors before index date.

  3. Never = all else.

Adequate ADM treatment – any continuous period of ≥12 weeks ADM fills prior to index date. ADMs are: selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs: citalopram, escitalopram, fluvoxamine, fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, and vilazodone); serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs: venlafaxine, duloxetine, milnacipran, and desvenlafaxine); tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs: amitriptyline, desipramine, doxepine, imipramine, nortriptyline, trimipramine, clomipramine, maprotiline, protriptyline, amoxapine); non-classified antidepressants (bupropion, nefazodone, trazodone, and mirtazapine); and monamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs: selegiline, phenelzine, tranylcypromine, and isocarboxazid).
PTSD Psychotherapy = from the first PCL date to index date. Clinic stop codes include 516, 540, 541, 561, 562 at ‘gold standard clinics’ (STA6A=534, 539, 662, 664, 664BY). Classified as adequate treatment (in any 15 week period, had 9+ visits) - yes vs. no
Type 2 Diabetes – Presence of ≥2 ICD9 codes in any 24-month period before index date (250.x0, 250.x2, 357.2, 362.0x, 366.41)
Hypertension – At least one code present before index date (401.x)
Hyperlipidemia - At least one code present before index date (272.0, 272.1, 272.2, 272.4)
Obese – Either a BMI ≥30 or ICD9 (278.00, 278.01) code for obesity before index date.