Be Wary of Hiccups: An Unusual Case of COVID-19

Abstract

Hiccups, involuntary contraction of the diaphragm and intercostal muscle followed by an abrupt closure of the glottis, are a bothersome symptom that can be caused by a variety of illnesses or medications. Hiccups that persist for more than 48 hours should raise the suspicion of an underlying cause. Pneumonias, especially caused by the novel coronavirus, have rarely been reported to trigger hiccups. To the best of our knowledge, we present the first case in sub-Saharan Africa of a patient presenting to our institution with persistent hiccups and no other objective signs suggestive of underlying pneumonia. His high-resolution CT was suggestive of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test confirmed the diagnosis. Our case highlights the need for a thorough history and physical examination in patients presenting with hiccups and the need to include COVID-19 in the differential diagnosis in such patients.