title: Left ventricular systolic dysfunction in a patient with accidental hypothermia: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hypothermia is a relatively rare condition, and the effects of unintentional hypothermia on the heart are not known.
  
  
  METHODS
  This report describes the case of an 88-year-old Japanese man found in a coma and presenting with heart failure associated with hypothermia. He experienced sinus arrest, junctional rhythm and left ventricular systolic dysfunction with prolonged ejection time. With rewarming and treatment of his heart failure, he completely recovered over a period of two weeks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prolonged ejection time might be a characteristic finding in hypothermia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, Japan. mine@hyo-med.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Takanao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mine
authors.forename: Ikuo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kishima
authors.forename: Hiroji
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miyake