Plasma total homocysteine levels are a strong predictor of mortality in patients with angiographically confirmed coronary artery disease.

The study suggests that serotonin is associated with coronary artery disease and occurrence of cardiac events, particularly in younger age groups. This association seems to persist after adjustment for conventional risk factors.

Patients with non-asphyxiated deep accidental hypothermia have a reasonable prognosis and should be rewarmed before further therapeutic decisions are made. In contrast, drowned patients with secondary hypothermia have a very poor prognosis. The treatment protocol under such conditions should be the subject for further discussion.

Hypothermia increased fluid extravasation during CPB independent of cooling strategy. Intravascular albumin and protein masses remained constant. Since inflammatory fluid leakage usually results in protein rich exudates, our data with no net protein leakage may indicate that mechanisms other than inflammation could contribute to fluid extravasation during hypothermic CPB.