CO₂ retention: The key to stopping hiccups

Abstract

The study determined that to successfully obstruct the mechanisms causing hiccups, it is necessary that the level of InspCO not only increases at the same level as EtCO , but also reaches approximately 50 mm Hg.

Medullar impairment resolves hiccups

“…A problem for patients with persistent hiccups is that not only home remedies, but medical interventions are also often ineffective (1,7,8). From this point of view, evidence that our plastic bag rebreathing method consistently cured a number of patients with persistent hiccups could offer clues behind the mechanisms at work (2). P 1 and P 2 are of significant physiological importance in our experiment.…”

“…And if the airtight seal was not compromised, both EtCO 2 and InspCO 2 would exceed 50 mmHg before blood oxygen saturation level (SpO 2 ) dropped below 90%. Incidentally, the level of 50 mmHg in both EtCO 2 and InspCO 2 represents the point at which hiccups stopped in the two previous experiments with two patients suffering from persistent hiccups (2).…”

“…Written consent was obtained from the volunteer prior to this experiment. According to our former report, we knew EtCO 2 and InspCO 2 would show the same values at around 90 seconds in to the plastic bag rebreathing method when using a 20 L air-filled plastic bag (2). And if the airtight seal was not compromised, both EtCO 2 and InspCO 2 would exceed 50 mmHg before blood oxygen saturation level (SpO 2 ) dropped below 90%.…”

“…According to the results of our experiments employing our plastic bag rebreathing method, we have reported that the time hiccups stop must be when CO 2 levels in both expiratory gas (EtCO 2 ) and inspiratory gas (InspCO 2 ) reach approximately 50 mmHg (2). In addition, using the findings, we elicited that the CO 2 level in arterial blood (PaCO 2 ) should simultaneously reach approximately 50 mmHg at the time hiccups stop; however, there was only supportive data to imply our conjecture regarding PaCO 2 in the former report (2).…”

Abolishing the venous–arterial CO2 gradient as treatment for singultus: Commentary on Obuchi et al. (2018)

“…The authors manage to provide not only a target-guided therapeutic approach (ie, inducing hypercapnia as to abolish the venous-arterial CO 2 gradient) but also to suggest a plausible patho-physiologic explanation as to why this approach might work. 1 Despite the very low number of patients and the rather short duration of hiccups reading the report and watching the associated video on the Bucci maneuver was impressive and motivating enough as to add a thought or two.…”