Establishing the Groundwork for Clinical Trials With Hiccupops® for Hiccup Palliation.

Abstract

Because hiccup palliation remains an unmet clinical need, we report here on an early experience with Hiccupops, ® a patented product designed for the express purpose of providing a mechanism-based intervention for hiccup palliation. Meter Health, the developer and manufacturer of this patented product, used a purposive sampling approach to allow individuals with hiccups and a desire for hiccup palliation to purchase their agent and then to report on its efficacy or lack thereof. The authors of this report were provided these outcome data and allowed to analyze, report, and publish with no input from Meter Health with the exception of comments on accuracy. This report focused on 43 surveys that were completed. In response to the question, "Did the Hiccupops work for the person they were purchased for?" 29 (67%) responded, "yes." Seven individuals (16%) responded, "no;" and 7 (16%) were "not sure." Write-in comments appeared to substantiate the effective palliative nature of the intervention: "A friend with 10days of hiccups following… brain tumor surgery, after 2days, they stopped!!!#." Another noted the following: "I like that if my hiccups get painful they're there as a quick relief." Less favorable comments were also noted: "She couldn't get past the…. taste." Another read as follows: "They were not effective in stopping my father's intractable hiccups…. I like that there is someone out there who cares about trying to stop people's hiccups." This patented product appears to palliate hiccups in some individuals and merits further study.