title: [Repeated syncope episodes caused by intractable hiccups; a case report].
abstract: A 66-year-old man visited our hospital with a chief complaint of a sore throat. On examination, the pharyngeal and laryngeal mucosa was reddish and localized mucosal erosion was present on the left side. Based on an initial diagnosis of acute pharyngitis caused by bacteriological infection or mycotic infection, treatment with antibacterial and antimycotic agents was initiated. However, the patient's sore throat gradually worsened and he developed intractable hiccups. Intravenous steroids were given for the treatment of the severe sore throat, and this symptom was gradually alleviated. However, the intractable hiccups persisted. In addition, the patient began to have convulsive syncope episodes and was subsequently admitted to our hospital. Further examination revealed that the syncope episodes were linked to the hiccups. To treat the hiccups, baclofen and Chinese medicine were prescribed, and the convulsive syncope episodes disappeared immediately. The patient's hiccups also improved and disappeared six days thereafter. Based on this clinical evidence, we concluded that the hiccups were caused by pharyngitis, resulting in the stimulation of the glossopharyngeal nerve, while the convulsive syncope episodes were a type of situational syncope related to hiccups.
authors: Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Omuta City Hospital, Omuta.
authors: Shintaro
authors: S
authors: Sueyoshi
authors: Buichiro
authors: B
authors: Shin
authors: Tadashi
authors: T
authors: Nakashima
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001418:Baclofen / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006606:Hiccup; D006801:Humans; D007827:Laryngitis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D013575:Syncope / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001418:Baclofen