Case reports: Persistent hiccup as an atypical presentation of COVID-19 infection in a vaccinated subject

• Published in: Annals of medicine and surgery Vol. 80
• Main Authors: Poudel Jaishi, Prakash, Neupane, Sandhya Kiran, Koirala, Divyaa, Joshi, Kusum, kandel, Arjun, Neupane, Prabhat Kiran
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-08-2022; Elsevier
• Subjects: Case Report; Hiccup; Persistent; SARS COV-2; Vaccination; Persistent; SARS COV-2; Vaccination; Hiccup
• ISSN: 2049-0801; 2049-0801
• DOI: 10.1016/j.amsu.2022.104312

and Importance: COVID-19 have wide array of clinical manifestation involving both respiratory and non-respiratory symptoms including neurological symptoms. Hiccups is the involuntary and spasmodic movement of the diaphragm and the intercoastal muscle that leads to the closure of the glottis and limitation of breathing in air.
We present a case of a 72-year old SARS COV-2 positive male with hypertension who have persistent hiccup. The patient is a vaccinated subject with 2 dose of Vero cells.
Vitals were stable.Mild dehydration was present.Bilateral Diffuse wheeze was present on Respiratory examination. No other abnormalities were detected during systemic examination.Imaging of his chest revealed bilateral mid-lung opacities and air bronchogram.
Perisitent hiccup was treated with metoclopramide. The hiccups reduced as the patient required less oxygen supplementation and inflammatory indicators decreased.
This case report tends to provide information and awareness among physicians regarding this atypical presentation of the disease.
•Covid 19 has varieties of Presentation which may include pulmonary and extra-pulmonary manifestation among which Persistent Hiccup is one of the atypical presentation.•Hiccups are the involuntary and spasmodic movement of the diaphragm and the intercoastal muscle.•It is self limiting condition but can be bothersome when persist for long duration.•Hiccups can get better with some extent with Metoclopramide.•As the Oxygen Saturation gets maintained and inflammatory markers lowers down this atypical symptom subsides.