Intractable hiccups as a presenting feature of clinically isolated syndrome

Article type: Research Article

Authors: van Hoeve, Karen | Vanrykel, Katrien

Affiliations: Department of Pediatrics, GZA St-Augustinus Hospital Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium

Note: [] Correspondence: Dr. Karen van Hoeve, Department of pediatrics, GZA St-Augustinus Hospital Antwerp, Oosterveldlaan 24, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium. Tel.: +32 3 4435896; Fax: +32 3 4404374; E-mail: [email protected], katrien.vanrykel@ gza.be

Abstract: We report a 15-year-old girl with intractable hiccups unresponsive to high doses of proton pump inhibitors. Further investigations revealed an acute demyelinating neurological disorder on magnetic resonance imaging of the brain with a lesion in the brain stem responsible for the hiccups. Hiccups are a common and usually transient condition. It is rare for it to become intractable. Persistent hiccups may reflect a serious underlying disease, as in our case due to a demyelinating disorder. We would like to highlight the underlying causes of an acute demyelinating neurological disorder and the characteristics to help with the differential diagnosis.

Keywords: Acute demyelinating neurological disorder, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, hiccups, clinically isolated syndrome

DOI: 10.3233/JPN-140638

Journal: Journal of Pediatric Neurology, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 49-53, 2014