{
  "abstract": "Background: The evaluation of chest pain is a common reason for athletes to seek consultation at a sports medicine clinic. Musculoskeletal causes are by far most frequent; however, rare and potentially life-threatening aetiologies must also be considered.\n\nCase summary: A 22-year-old professional rugby player presented with pleuritic chest pain for 2 weeks. Physical examination was unremarkable except for reduced breath sounds at the left lung base. Laboratory testing demonstrated marked systemic inflammation with a C-reactive protein level of 237 mg/L and mildly elevated high-sensitivity troponin T (21 pg/mL). Transthoracic ultrasound identified a fibrinous left-sided pleural effusion and a mild circumferential pericardial effusion. Subsequent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) confirmed the diagnosis of acute pericarditis. Comprehensive rheumatological evaluation established an autoimmune aetiology, consistent with a polyserositis secondary to mixed connective tissue disease (anti-nuclear antibody 1:80.000, speckled pattern, anti-RNP positive). Anti-inflammatory therapy with ibuprofen, colchicine and a corticosteroid pulse were initiated, resulting in clinical improvement and gradual normalization of laboratory and sonographic imaging findings within 6 weeks. After 3 months of sports restriction, follow-up CMRI demonstrated significant pericardial late gadolinium enhancement but without evidence of active inflammation. A gradual return-to-exercise protocol was subsequently implemented. Anti-inflammatory medication was discontinued after 6 months. The athlete has since remained clinically stable under regular follow-up for 1 year.\n\nDiscussion: This case highlights the importance of thorough diagnostic evaluation of chest pain in young athletes, including consideration of autoimmune causes such as polyserositis. Despite structured follow-up, uncertainty persists regarding recurrence risk and its significance for long-term athletic participation.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": "case report",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Theresa Maria Betz",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-5534-9259"
    },
    {
      "name": "Norbert Blank",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-9419-1690"
    },
    {
      "name": "Maura Magdalena Zylla"
    },
    {
      "name": "Birgit Friedmann-Bette",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-2198-4083"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/66thf6ffsnhwt.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1093/ehjcr/ytag784",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13738082/",
  "id": "66thf6ffsnhwt",
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  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjcr/ytag784",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "AcademicSubjects/MED00200"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Case Report"
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    [
      "heading",
      "Eurheartj/31"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Eurheartj/33"
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    [
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    [
      "heading",
      "Eurheartj/48"
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    [
      "heading",
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    [
      "heading",
      "Sports Cardiology"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2705|Pericarditis and Cardiac Tamponade"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223417280",
  "pdf_url": "https://academic.oup.com/ehjcr/advance-article-pdf/doi/10.1093/ehjcr/ytag784/72380773/ytag784.pdf",
  "pmcid": "PMC13738082",
  "pmid": "42992081",
  "published": "2026-10-23",
  "publisher": "Oxford University Press",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/66thf6ffsnhwt.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-09T12:23:08Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13738082",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjcr/ytag784"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2705|Pericarditis and Cardiac Tamponade",
      "subfield": "cardiovascular"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Acute chest pain in an elite rugby player: a case report of polyserositis with cardiac involvement",
  "title_text": "Acute chest pain in an elite rugby player: a case report of polyserositis with cardiac involvement",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-09T12:23:08Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/66thf6ffsnhwt",
  "venue": "European Heart Journal. Case Reports",
  "versions": []
}