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<article article-type="abstract" dtd-version="1.0" xml:lang="en" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML">
<front>
<journal-meta>
<journal-id journal-id-type="publisher-id">CC</journal-id>
<journal-id journal-id-type="nlm-ta">Cardiol Croat</journal-id>
<journal-title-group>
<journal-title>Cardiologia Croatica</journal-title>
<abbrev-journal-title abbrev-type="pubmed">Cardiol. Croat.</abbrev-journal-title>
</journal-title-group>
<issn pub-type="ppub">1848-543X</issn>
<issn pub-type="epub">1848-5448</issn>
<publisher><publisher-name>Croatian Cardiac Society</publisher-name></publisher>
</journal-meta>
<article-meta>
<article-id pub-id-type="publisher-id">CC 2024 19_11-12_493</article-id>
<article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.15836/ccar2024.493</article-id>
<article-categories><subj-group subj-group-type="heading"><subject>Extended Abstract</subject></subj-group>
<subj-group subj-group-type="subheading"><subject>Echocardiography, MSCT, MRI</subject></subj-group>
</article-categories>
<title-group>
<article-title>Extensive pathological ST-T segment abnormalities in an asymptomatic middle-aged male: diagnostic and differential diagnosis considerations</article-title>
</title-group>
<contrib-group>
<contrib contrib-type="author" corresp="yes"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2329-2582</contrib-id><name><surname>Laku&#x0161;i&#x0107;</surname><given-names>Nenad</given-names></name><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"><sup>1</sup></xref><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff2"><sup>2</sup></xref><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff3"><sup>3</sup></xref><xref ref-type="corresp" rid="cor1">*</xref></contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0888-5005</contrib-id><name><surname>Sopek Merka&#x0161;</surname><given-names>Ivana</given-names></name><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"><sup>1</sup></xref></contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0189-665X</contrib-id><name><surname>Grgasovi&#x0107;</surname><given-names>Tina</given-names></name><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff4"><sup>4</sup></xref></contrib>
<aff id="aff1"><label>1</label><institution>Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation Krapinske Toplice, Krapinske Toplice</institution>, <country country="hr">Croatia</country></aff>
<aff id="aff2"><label>2</label><institution>J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek</institution>, <institution content-type="dept">Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health Osijek</institution>, <addr-line>Osijek</addr-line>, <country country="hr">Croatia</country></aff>
<aff id="aff3"><label>3</label><institution>J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek</institution>, <institution content-type="dept">Faculty of Medicine Osijek</institution>, <addr-line>Osijek</addr-line>, <country country="hr">Croatia</country></aff>
<aff id="aff4"><label>4</label><institution>University of Rijeka</institution>, <institution content-type="dept">School of Medicine</institution>, <addr-line>Rijeka</addr-line>, <country country="hr">Croatia</country></aff>
</contrib-group>
<author-notes>
<corresp id="cor1"><label>*</label>ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE: Nenad Laku&#x0161;i&#x0107;, Specijalna bolnica za medicinsku rehabilitaciju Krapinske Toplice, Ulica Ljudevita Gaja 2, HR-49217 Krapinske Toplice, Croatia. / Phone: 385-49-383-100 / E-mail: <email xlink:href="neno.lakusic@gmail.com">neno.lakusic@gmail.com</email></corresp></author-notes>
<pub-date date-type="pub" publication-format="electronic"><month>11</month><year>2024</year></pub-date>
<pub-date date-type="pub" publication-format="print"><month>11</month><year>2024</year></pub-date>
<volume>19</volume>
<issue>11-12</issue>
<fpage>493</fpage>
<lpage>493</lpage>
<history>
<date date-type="received"><day>30</day><month>09</month><year>2024</year></date>
<date><day>31</day><month>10</month><year>2024</year></date>
</history>
<permissions>
<copyright-statement>Croatian Cardiac Society</copyright-statement>
<copyright-year>2024</copyright-year>
<copyright-holder>Croatian Cardiac Society</copyright-holder>
</permissions>
<kwd-group kwd-group-type="author"><title>KEYWORDS: </title><kwd>ST-T segment</kwd><kwd>abnormalities</kwd><kwd>differential diagnosis</kwd></kwd-group>
</article-meta>
</front>
<body>
<p><bold>Introduction</bold>: ST-T segment changes are frequently observed in clinical practice and reflect alterations in ventricular repolarization, ranging from physiological and benign to nonspecific or specific indicators of serious cardiac conditions. The most clinically relevant ST-T segment changes are those linked to acute and chronic coronary syndromes, pericarditis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, among others (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="r1"><italic>1</italic></xref>). It is crucial to correlate ECG changes with clinical symptoms and laboratory findings (such as high-sensitivity troponin, C-reactive protein, electrolytes), and use all available data to formulate conclusions, establish a diagnosis, and develop a treatment plan.</p>
<p><bold>Case report</bold>: We present the case of an asymptomatic middle-aged male with an unremarkable medical history and no significant comorbidities, in whom extensive &#x201C;pathological&#x201D; ST-T segment abnormalities were identified during a routine examination (<xref ref-type="fig" rid="f1"><bold>Figure 1</bold></xref>). A comprehensive stepwise diagnostic evaluation, including laboratory tests, echocardiography, exercise stress testing, multislice computed tomography (MSCT) coronary angiography, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), revealed no underlying pathological correlates for the observed ECG ST-T changes (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="r2"><italic>2</italic></xref>). During a nearly two-year follow-up, the patient remained asymptomatic, with preserved exercise tolerance, including moderate-intensity recreational sports, and persistent &#x201C;fixed&#x201D; ECG abnormalities.</p>
<fig id="f1" position="float" fig-type="figure"><label>FIGURE 1</label><caption><p>Electrocardiographic ST segment and T wave changes.</p></caption><graphic xlink:href="CC202419_11-12_493-f1"></graphic></fig>
<p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> A review of the available literature1 did not reveal any condition or disease that could account for the observed ST-T segment changes in the patient described. Given this finding, we conclude the summary with the intriguing question: &#x201C;What is the correct diagnosis?&#x201D;</p>
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<ref-list>
<title>LITERATURE</title>
<ref id="r1"><label>1</label><mixed-citation publication-type="web">Healio. ECG Basics. 68 causes of T wave, ST segment abnormalities. <ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="https://www.healio.com/cardiology/learn-the-heart/ecg-review/ecg-interpretation-tutorial/68-causes-of-t-wave-st-segment-abnormalities">https://www.healio.com/cardiology/learn-the-heart/ecg-review/ecg-interpretation-tutorial/68-causes-of-t-wave-st-segment-abnormalities</ext-link> (Sept 29, 2024).</mixed-citation></ref>
<ref id="r2"><label>2</label><mixed-citation publication-type="journal"><person-group person-group-type="author"><name><surname>Sopek Merka&#x0161;</surname><given-names>I</given-names></name><name><surname>Laku&#x0161;i&#x0107;</surname><given-names>N</given-names></name></person-group>. <article-title>Can impressive &#x2018;pathological&#x2019; ST-T changes be a normal variant?</article-title> <source>Eur Heart J Case Rep</source>. <year>2023</year> December 1;<volume>8</volume>(<issue>1</issue>):<elocation-id>ytad611</elocation-id>. <pub-id pub-id-type="doi">10.1093/ehjcr/ytad611</pub-id><pub-id pub-id-type="pmid">38145110</pub-id></mixed-citation></ref>
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