%0 Case Reports
%T Predicting apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy using T-wave inversion: Three case reports.
%A Kang L
%A Li YH
%A Li R
%A Chu QM
%J World J Clin Cases
%V 11
%N 25
%D 2023 Sep 6
%M 37727498
%F 1.534
%R 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i25.5970
%X <B>BACKGROUND: </B>Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (AHCM) is a subtype of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Due to its location, the thickening of the left ventricular apex can be missed on echocardiography. Giant negative T waves (GNTs) in left-sided chest leads are the hallmark electrocardiogram (ECG) change of AHCM.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>The first patient was a 68-year-old woman complaining of recurrent chest tightness persisting for more than 3 years. The second was a 59-year-old man complaining of spasmodic chest tightness persisting for more than 2 years. The third was a 55-year-old woman complaining of recurrent chest pain persisting for 4 mo. In all three cases, GNTs were observed several years prior to apical cardiac hypertrophy after other causes of T-wave inversion were ruled out.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>Electrophysiological abnormalities of AHCM appear earlier than structural abnormalities, confirming the early predictive value of ECG for AHCM.