title: Intractable hiccups caused by esophageal diverticular candidiasis in an immunocompetent adult: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Various causes of intractable hiccups have been reported; however, to the best of our knowledge, there are no previous reports of either intractable hiccups due to esophageal candidiasis in an immunocompetent adult or improvement following antifungal therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  An 87-year-old man presented with intractable hiccups. Although the patient was immunocompetent, he used proton pump inhibitors. An esophagogastroduodenos-copy revealed several white deposits throughout the esophagus and extensive white deposits in the midesophageal diverticulum. A mucosal culture showed candidiasis, which was suspected to be the cause of the intractable hiccups. After oral fluconazole had been prescribed, the candidiasis resolved and the hiccups improved. Therefore, we concluded that esophageal diverticular candidiasis was the cause of his intractable hiccups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physicians should consider esophageal candidiasis as one of the differential diagnoses for intractable hiccups, even in immunocompetent adults.
authors.affiliation: Division of Community Medicine and Career Development, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe; Department of Internal Medicine, Hyogo Prefectural Kaibara Hospital, Tamba.
authors.forename: Shinsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yahata
authors.affiliation: Division of Community Medicine and Career Development, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe.
authors.forename: Tsuneaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kenzaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterological Oncology, Hyogo Cancer Center, Akashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Saeko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kushida
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hyogo Prefectural Kaibara Hospital, Tamba.
authors.forename: Hogara
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nishisaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hyogo Prefectural Kaibara Hospital, Tamba.
authors.forename: Hozuka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akita
keywords: Intractable hiccups; acid-suppression therapy; candidiasis; elderly; esophageal diverticulum; immunocompetence