ST elevation and inverted T wave as another normal variant mimicking acute myocardial infarction: the prevalence, age, gender, and racial distribution.

Methods: All ECGs taken in adults at a Minneapolis hospital in 2007 were reviewed and individuals with the following ECG findings were identified: 1-3 mm ST elevation ending in an inverted T wave in midprecordial leads with preserved R waves. Results: A total of 11,424 patients (5997 men, 5427 women) had one or more ECGs in 2007. STTNV was seen in 101 patients, 97 (96%) of whom were black. Seventy-seven of 2084 (3.7%) black men and 20 of 2020 (1%) black women had STTNV. It was rare in other races (0 to 0.7%), particularly in white patients (1 of 5099 patients). It seems to be evenly distributed throughout the age. The ECG findings normalized in all 6 patients who underwent a treadmill stress test. Conclusions: This entity is seen almost exclusively in blacks (3.7% of men, 1% of women), and is more or less evenly distributed throughout the age. Whether this variant is more often associated with malignant ventricular arrhythmias remains to be determined. Ann Noninvasive Electrocardiol 2011;16(1):64-69.