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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Scalp EEG predicts temporal lobe resection success
BALTIMORE – There was one hundred percent failure if seizures spread within 10 seconds.
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Skip CTs for breakthrough seizures in chronic epilepsy
BALTIMORE – Eliminating CTs saves money, prevents unnecessary radiation exposure.
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Transseptal access for MViV replacement cuts mortality
SAN FRANCISCO – Higher mortality was seen with transapical approach for mitral valve-in-valve replacement.
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Late-onset MS is often more severe than earlier-onset MS
ST. LOUIS – Late-onset MS often has faster accrual of disability and might require different treatment options.
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Baseline subtypes predict dementia and death in patients with Parkinson’s disease
ST. LOUIS – Clinicians should assess cognitive and psychiatric symptoms at baseline.
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Rituximab tops azathioprine for relapsing ANCA-associated vasculitis remission maintenance
ATLANTA – The RITAZAREM trial results provide evidence that rituximab provides superior maintenance of remission in patients with relapsing...
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Volume directly tied to mitral valve procedure success
SAN FRANCISCO – The magic number for physicians is 35 cases per year.
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Marked increase in psoriasis seen with TNFi use in pediatric inflammatory diseases
ATLANTA – “What this will change is how much information I give to families about the risk of psoriasis, especially in kids with a family history...
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Even low-dose steroids increase DMARD infection risk
ATLANTA – “It should be something you are aware of,” said Dr. Michael George.
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Transcatheter TR repair tops medical management
SAN FRANCISCO – Fewer rehospitalizations and deaths occurred at 12 months.
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CVD risk in black SLE patients 18 times higher than in whites
ATLANTA – “This study [identifies] a population that needs more attention, more targeted CVD prevention,” presenter Dr. Shivani Garg said.
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Brain abscess with lung infection? Think Nocardia
ST. LOUIS – Patients don’t have to be immunosuppressed.
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Blood test might rival PET scan for detecting brain amyloidosis
ST. LOUIS – A blood test that measures the plasma ratio of amyloid-beta 42 peptide to amyloid-beta peptide 40 can accurately screen cognitively...
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EEG asymmetry predicts poor pediatric ECMO outcomes
ST. LOUIS – Researchers said “we need to look more closely into brain blood flow patterns” on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
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Minimize blood pressure peaks, variability after stroke reperfusion
ST. LOUIS – Controlling blood pressure variability improves outcomes after stroke.