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Hiccups - Management
Basis for recommendation
- CKS recommends a full assessment of a person with prolonged hiccups, because this often indicates an underlying cause [Launois et al, 1993; Schuchmann and Browne, 2007]. In a retrospective study, hiccups lasting more than 48 hours were more likely to be associated with an organic or anatomic cause [Cymet, 2002].
- A study of causative factors in people with intractable hiccups (study duration almost 30 years) found that 93% of 181 males had organic disease and 92% of 36 females had psychogenic hiccups [Souadjian and Cain, 1968].
- The suggestion of which investigations to consider is based on discussion in review articles [Kolodzik and Eilers, 1991; Rousseau, 1995].
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