title: Gabapentin therapy of hiccups.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether gabapentin is effective in the treatment of persistent or intractable hiccups.
  
  
  METHODS
  A search of MEDLINE (1966-March 2013) using the MeSH search terms gabapentin, hiccups, and hiccups/drug therapy was performed. Additional databases searched included Web of Science (1945-March 2013) and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-March 2013) using the text words gabapentin and hiccups. Bibliographies of relevant articles were reviewed for additional citations.
  
  
  METHODS
  All data sources were considered for inclusion. Preference was given for articles written in English, although one abstract in German was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Because of the low incidence of persistent or intractable hiccups, few if any controlled clinical trials are conducted on the efficacy of drug treatment. Therefore, most of the data involve case reports or case series. We evaluated 17 case reports and 2 case series involving gabapentin therapy for persistent or intractable hiccups. Therapeutic outcomes with gabapentin were positive in all cases, with temporal evidence suggesting an effect, but outcomes often were obscured by combination therapy and comorbidities in some cases. Case reports suggest that gabapentin might be useful as a second-line agent in patients undergoing stroke rehabilitation or in the palliative care setting where chlorpromazine adverse effects are undesirable. Gabapentin was very well tolerated, with only a few minor adverse effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gabapentin has a similar body of evidence as other pharmacotherapeutic agents used to treat hiccups. Gabapentin is well tolerated and should be considered as a second-line agent in selected patients.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Weatherford, OK, USA. dennis.thompson@swosu.edu
authors.forename: Dennis F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Krista G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Brooks
mesh_terms: D000588:Amines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077206:Gabapentin; D006606:Hiccup / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000588:Amines; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000077206:Gabapentin