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Case Reports
. 2021 Aug 6:63:e62.
doi: 10.1590/S1678-9946202163062. eCollection 2021.

COVID-19 presenting as persistent hiccups: a case report

Diogo Ribeiro de Sene  1 , Diego Moreno Watashi  2 , Isabella de Oliveira Bilitardo  1 , Carlos Eduardo Campos Moreno  2 , Mariella Freire de Freitas Moreno  3
Affiliations
Case Reports

COVID-19 presenting as persistent hiccups: a case report

Diogo Ribeiro de Sene et al. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo. .

Erratum in

Abstract

Hiccups are involuntary, spasmodic contractions of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles and can be classified as acute (< 48 h), persistent (48 h to a month) or intractable (> 1 month). A previously healthy 29-year-old man sought the Emergency Department with flu-like symptoms and a two-day history of persistent hiccups. His physical examination was otherwise unremarkable and vital signs were within normal limits. An unenhanced computed tomography scan of the chest showed small focal ground-glass opacities scattered throughout 25% of the lungs. A COVID-19 test was positive. Chlorpromazine was prescribed for the hiccups with improvement over 10 h. The patient was discharged home on the same day without hiccups and no other complications.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. A chest computed tomography scan showing peripheral ground-glass opacities in lungs.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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