Real world data from the Heidelberg Registry of Chronic Singultus (HeReChroS)

Hiccups lasting more than one month ("chronic singultus") is a rare disease that impairs quality of life. Its low prevalence hampers evidence generation. The new Heidelberg Registry of Chronic Singultus (HeReChroS) aims to gather epidemiological data, assess disease burden, identify care gaps, improve treatment, and contribute to a more precise clinical characterization of the disease. This analysis of real-world data seeks to characterize the current HeReChroS patient cohort.

The routinely collected data of patients with chronic singultus (ICD 10: G25.3) from October 2022 to March 2025 were retrospectively entered into HeReChroS. Descriptive statistics were calculated on data of the initial visit, including demographics, medical history, and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) such as disease burden and well-being.

A total of 131 patients were included (104 male, 27 female). Common symptoms alongside hiccups included fatigue (90%), sleep disorders (80%), and concentration difficulties (70%). Comorbidity frequency was high (median 3, IQR 2, range 0-9, mode 2 comorbid organ systems), with gastrointestinal (75%), vascular (52%), and pulmonary (28%) conditions most common. Well-being was markedly reduced (mean 35.3, SD 22, range 0-90, on a 0-100 scale). Screening questionnaires suggested that 42% of patients were depressed, and 15% of patients reported suicidal thoughts.

HeReChroS offers a large dataset of patients with chronic singultus, enabling in-depth analysis of this rare disease. Quality of life is markedly impaired, and management remains challenging. Expanding the registry across countries and languages would enhance the statistical power and generalizability. German Clinical Trials Registry (Number: DRKS00033956, 25 March 2024, URL: https://www.drks.de/DRKS00033956 ).