Doug Brunk is a San Diego-based award-winning reporter who began covering health care in 1991. Before joining the company, he wrote for the health sciences division of Columbia University and was an associate editor at Contemporary Long Term Care magazine when it won a Jesse H. Neal Award. His work has been syndicated by the Los Angeles Times and he is the author of two books related to the University of Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball program. Doug has a master’s degree in magazine journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. Follow him on Twitter @dougbrunk.
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Use of opioids, SSRIs linked to increased fracture risk in RA
Osteoporotic fracture risk increase started even after 1-30 days of opioid use, results from an analysis of national data show.
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Low vitamin D levels linked to increased ESRD risk in SLE patients
Evidence suggests role for supplementation in reducing renal disease and overall organ damage.
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Hiatal hernia repair more common at time of sleeve gastrectomy, compared with RYGB
SAN DIEGO – Hiatal hernia repair performed twice as often during laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy than during laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass...
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VIDEO: Biologic use during pregnancy had no impact on serious infection risks in infants
Data provide some reassurance for clinicians who are concerned that their patients need to be treated with a biologic late in pregnancy.
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VIDEO: Obesity linked to worse outcomes in axial spondyloarthropathy
Among patients with axial spondyloarthropathy, higher BMI and obesity independently predicts worse disease outcomes.
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Type of headwear worn during surgery had no impact on SSI rates
Surgeon preference for bouffant versus skull caps do not significantly impact superficial SSI rates.
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Strict OR attire policy had no impact on SSI rate
Implementation of strict operating room attire policies did not reduce the rates of superficial surgical site infections.
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DiaRem score predicts remission of type 2 diabetes after sleeve gastrectomy
SAN DIEGO – The DiaRem score was effective in predicting remission of type 2 diabetes following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, results from a...
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Pre-injury statin use found to benefit survival following TBI
SAN DIEGO – A randomized, controlled trial is needed next to rule out other causes of death and learn of any long-term, psychosocial benefit to...
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Antibiotic exposure blunted metabolic improvement following vertical sleeve gastrectomy
The finding raises the question of whether patients with suboptimal outcomes following vertical sleeve gastrectomy may benefit from microbial...
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Session highlights controversies in diverticulitis management
During the annual clinical congress of the American College of Surgeons, a panel of experts discussed a wide range of evolving controversies in...
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Ribaxamase reduced new CDI by 71%
SAN DIEGO – Hospitalized patients who received the investigational oral agent ribaxamase had a 71% reduction in the development of new Clostridium...
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Cases of Legionnaires’ continue to rise in the United States
SAN DIEGO – Almost all Legionella outbreaks could be prevented with effective water management.
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C. auris: ‘A yeast that acts like a bacteria’
SAN DIEGO – Treatment resistance is now the norm.
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Delayed appropriate therapy affects outcomes in patients at risk for CRE infections
SAN DIEGO – Reconsider how you approach patients with serious Gram-negative infections.