M. Alexander Otto began his reporting career early in 1999 covering the pharmaceutical industry for a national pharmacists' magazine and freelancing for the Washington Post and other newspapers. He then joined BNA, now part of Bloomberg News, covering health law and the protection of people and animals in medical research. Alex next worked for the McClatchy Company. Based on his work, Alex won a year-long Knight Science Journalism Fellowship to MIT in 2008-2009. He joined the company shortly thereafter. Alex has a newspaper journalism degree from Syracuse (N.Y.) University and a master's degree in medical science -- a physician assistant degree -- from George Washington University. Alex is based in Seattle.
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IV fluid weaning unnecessary after gastroenteritis rehydration
SEATTLE – Saving “even a couple hours” to get kids out of the hospital quicker matters.
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Too many blood cultures ordered for pediatric SSTIs
SEATTLE – Culture draws were associated with a 20% increase in hospital length of stay.
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Enteral feeding is safe during bronchiolitis HFNC
SEATTLE – Parents feel better when they know their children are “getting food in their belly.”
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Short-course azithromycin no benefit in pediatric asthma admissions
SEATTLE – Clinicians should consider these data before prescribing azithromycin to children hospitalized with asthma.
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DECLARE-TIMI58 shows improved kidney function with dapagliflozin
SAN FRANCISCO – The SGLT2 dapagliflozin was better than placebo at slowing down kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes
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CARMELINA confirms linagliptin’s renal, CV safety, but it’s still third-line for type 2 diabetes
SAN FRANCISCO – The study was unusual among other DPP-4 trials in that almost 60% of the patients were older than 65, and 62.3% had impaired renal...
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BMI screening trigger for type 2 diabetes is unreliable for at-risk black, Hispanic adults
SAN FRANCISCO – One risk factor should trigger screening in normal weight.
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Low-fat dairy associated with decreased risk of type 2 diabetes
SAN FRANCISCO – An indicator of healthy living, or a true effect?
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Type 2 diabetes is particularly devastating in adolescents
SAN FRANCISCO – “These kids have problems you’d expect in their grandparents.” – Dr....
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Misguided fear is keeping benzodiazepines from elderly
SAN FRANCISCO – Benzos are “wonderful” for geriatric anxiety and anxiety-related insomnia, said Dr. Carl Salzman of Harvard Medical School.
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VOC-sniffing necklace may support early detection of hypoglycemia
SAN FRANCISCO – Same trick as diabetes alert dogs – minus the pup.
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CAROLINA findings reaffirm linagliptin’s safety, free glimepiride of CV-risk stigma
SAN FRANCISCO – Concerns remain around glimepiride-related weight gain and hypoglycemia.
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Ketamine edges out ECT for refractory depression in small study
ECT maybe more durable than ketamine as a treatment.
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Daratumumab wins new indication for newly diagnosed myeloma patients
Daratumumab plus lenalidomide and dexamethasone (DRd) is now approved for newly diagnosed myeloma patients who are ineligible for autologous stem...
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Medical cannabis legalization outpacing evidence
SAN FRANCISCO – Sparse evidence on cannabis is based on observational studies – not RCTs, said Dr. Kevin P. Hill.