Hiccups as a Presenting Symptom of Eosinophilic Esophagitis

• Main Authors: Alexander N. Levy, Soroya M. Rahaman, Peter A. Bonis, Golrokh Javid, John Leung
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Karger Publishers 2012-06-01
• Series: Case Reports in Gastroenterology
• Subjects: Eosinophilic esophagitis; Esophagitis; Eosinophils; Esophagus; Hiccups
• Online Access: http://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/338739

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic esophageal disease increasingly recognized in adults for its gastrointestinal manifestations. This paper discusses a young woman with EoE who presented with persistent hiccups and intermittent dyspepsia. The patient was initially treated with trials of both H2 blocker and proton pump inhibitor. However, her hiccups resolved only after treatment with topical fluticasone. A repeat upper endoscopy while on steroid treatment demonstrated both histologic remission of EoE and resolution of esophageal trachealization. Our patient’s clinical course supports an association between hiccups and EoE, suggesting that EoE be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with refractory hiccups.