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World J Gastroenterol. Apr 14, 2010; 16(14): 1795-1799
Published online Apr 14, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i14.1795
Published online Apr 14, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i14.1795
Does (supra)gastric belching trigger recurrent hiccups?
Wim P Hopman, Mariëtte C van Kouwen, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
André J Smout, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Academic Medical Center, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Author contributions: Hopman WP and van Kouwen MC collected the data; all authors contributed to analyzing the data and writing the manuscript; all authors have read and approved the text of the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Wim P Hopman, MD, PhD, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. w.hopman@mdl.umcn.nl
Telephone: +31-24-3614760 Fax: +31-24-3540103
Received: October 27, 2009
Revised: December 10, 2009
Accepted: December 17, 2009
Published online: April 14, 2010
Revised: December 10, 2009
Accepted: December 17, 2009
Published online: April 14, 2010
Abstract
Twenty-four hours multichannel intraesophageal impedance and pH monitoring in a patient who suffered from recurrent hiccups for more than a year revealed frequent supragastric belching and pathological oesophageal acid exposure. Furthermore, a temporal relationship between the start of a hiccup episode and gastric belching was observed. The data support the hypothesis that there is an association between supragastric belching, persistent recurrent hiccups and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, and that gastric belching may evoke hiccup attacks.