HomeCirculationVol. 112, No. 5Issue Highlights Free AccessIn BriefPDF/EPUBAboutView PDFView EPUBSections ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload citationsTrack citationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InMendeleyReddit Jump toFree AccessIn BriefPDF/EPUBIssue Highlights Originally published2 Aug 2005https://doi.org/10.1161/circ.112.5.619Circulation. 2005;112:619RESPONSE OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION TO PULMONARY VEIN ANTRUM ISOLATION IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO RESUMPTION AND DELAY OF PULMONARY VEIN CONDUCTION, by Verma et al.The atrial myocardium in and around the pulmonary veins often supports atrial fibrillation, but whether complete electrical isolation is required for successful ablation of atrial fibrillation is debated. After ablation targeting complete isolation, repeat electrophysiological evaluation was performed in a cohort of patients with recurrent atrial arrhythmias and also in a cohort without recurrent arrhythmia. Recurrent arrhythmias were associated with reconnection of one or more venous regions. When the arrhythmia was controlled despite recovery of conduction into the pulmonary veins, conduction was often slowed and incapable of supporting high rates. These findings further support the importance of the pulmonary vein regions in the genesis of atrial fibrillation. Recovery from acute conduction block is not uncommon but does not preclude success if conduction remains impaired. See p 627.PLASMA OXIDIZED LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN, A STRONG PREDICTOR FOR ACUTE CORONARY HEART DISEASE EVENTS IN APPARENTLY HEALTHY, MIDDLE-AGED MEN FROM THE GENERAL POPULATION, by Meisinger et al.It is increasingly appreciated that atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory process and that local oxidative mechanisms contribute to the development and progression of atherosclerosis. In experimental and clinical studies, investigators have demonstrated that oxidized LDL (oxLDL) may contribute to the initiation and progression of atherosclerotic lesions. However, there have been few prospective studies examining the relation of circulating oxLDL to outcome. Meisinger and colleagues examined the relation of oxLDL to future coronary heart disease events in a nested case-control study of middle-aged men from the MONICA/KORA Augsburg surveys. They report that adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors including total/HDL cholesterol and C-reactive protein, the highest tertile (compared with the lowest) was associated with an almost tripling in the risk of coronary heart disease in follow-up. The authors acknowledge that the use of oxLDL as a screening test awaits the development of more standardized assays and additional investigation into the findings’ generalizability and the tests’ cost-effectiveness. The study does emphasize that the complex interrelations between lipids, oxidation, and inflammation in the development of cardiovascular disease merit further research. See p 651.PILOT STUDY OF RAPID INFUSION OF 2 L OF 4°C NORMAL SALINE FOR INDUCTION OF MILD HYPOTHERMIA IN HOSPITALIZED, COMATOSE SURVIVORS OF OUT-OF-HOSPITAL CARDIAC ARREST, by Kim et al.The American Heart Association, as part of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR), recommends that unconscious adult patients with spontaneous circulation after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest be cooled to 32°C to 34°C for 12 to 24 hours when the initial rhythm was ventricular fibrillation. There are currently several methods for inducing hypothermia; however, most are logistically cumbersome and are slow to attain the targeted amount of temperature reduction. In this issue of Circulation, Kim et al present pilot results with regard to the effects of a rapid infusion of 2 L of 4°C normal saline over 20 to 30 minutes using a peripheral intravenous line attached to a high-pressure bag to 17 survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The authors evaluated time to cooling, metabolic effects, left ventricular systolic function, and intracardiac filling pressures. Although further clinical outcome studies are needed, these preliminary results offer great promise in delivering this potentially life-saving treatment in the field. See p 715.Visit http://www.circ.ahajournals.org:Images in Cardiovascular MedicineDense Right-Sided Hemiparesis in a 36-Year-Old Woman. See p e67.Magnetocardiography in a Fetus With Long-QT Syndrome. See p e68.Polytetrafluoroethylene Stent Deployment for a Left Anterior Descending Coronary Aneurysm Complicated by Late Acute Anterior Myocardial Infarction. See p e70.Download figureDownload PowerPointCorrespondenceSee p e72. Previous Back to top Next FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails August 2, 2005Vol 112, Issue 5 Advertisement Article InformationMetrics https://doi.org/10.1161/circ.112.5.619 Originally publishedAugust 2, 2005 PDF download Advertisement