AIMS Unexplained chronic cough is a common condition with no satisfactory treatments. Previous work has suggested that cough may be linked to neutrophilic airway inflammation. This study tested the hypothesis that long-term low-dose erythromycin reduces the induced sputum neutrophil count and 24 h cough frequency in patients with unexplained chronic cough. METHODS 30 patients with an unexplai...

To cough is a protective defence mechanism that is vital to remove foreign material and secretions from the airways and which in the normal state serves its function appropriately. Modulation of the cough reflex pathway in disease can lead to inappropriate chronic coughing and an augmented cough response. Chronic cough is a symptom that can present in conjunction with a number of diseases inclu...

A cough that has no medical diagnosis and does not respond to treatment is sometimes labeled as psychogenic cough, habit cough, or tic cough. These disorders should be distinguished from other forms of chronic cough, but there is little consistency or evidence on how to best diagnose a chronic cough as a psychogenic, habit, or tic cough. The American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) has updat...

BACKGROUND Online health discussion forums are used by different patient groups for sharing advice and information. Chronic cough is a common problem, and people with chronic cough use online health forums alongside formal medical therapies. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to assess how chronic cough sufferers use online health forums, including the treatment advice they share with ...

BACKGROUND Although gastro-oesophageal reflux is a recognised cause of chronic cough, the role of oesophageal dysmotility is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of abnormal oesophageal motility in a selected group of patients with chronic cough. METHODS Oesophageal manometry and 24 hour pH monitoring were performed in 43 patients with chronic cough, 34 of whom had s...

REFERENCES 1 Birring SS, Fleming T, Matos S, Raj AA, Evans DH, Pavord ID. The Leicester Cough Monitor: preliminary validation of an automated cough detection system in patients with chronic cough. Eur Respir J 2008; 31: 1013–1018. 2 Birring SS, Matos S, Patel RB, Prudon B, Evans DH, Pavord ID. Cough frequency, cough sensitivity and health status in patients with chronic cough. Respir Med 2006; ...

Goals & Objectives: To understand the differential diagnosis and management of common causes of pediatric cough: • List the common etiologies for chronic cough in children, differentiating between specific and non-specific cough and “wet” and “dry” cough. • Understand the management of chronic, non-specific cough, including trials of therapy for cough-variant asthma and protracted bronchitis. •...

Statement of Interest: Statements of interest for S. Birring and I. Pavord can be found at www.erj.ersjournals.com/site/misc/ statements.xhtml REFERENCES 1 Pavord ID, Chung KF. Management of chronic cough. Lancet 2008; 371: 1375–1384. 2 Morice AH, McGarvey L, Pavord ID. Recommendations for the management of cough in adults. Thorax 2006; 61: 1–24. 3 Birring SS, Fleming T, Matos S, et al. The Lei...

RATIONALE Some intractable chronic cough remains a common complaint for seeking medical care. Unexplained cough in lupus nephropathy patient is rare and therapeutic options are limited. PATIENT CONCERNS A 57 year-old woman with a 7-year history of lupus nephropathy. She has suffered from chronic cough for 3 years accompanied with chronic low back pain and fatigue, as the conventional therapy ...