REVIEW SERIES: Chronic cough: Introduction
Abstract
S.S.Birring Department of Respiratory Medicine, King's College Hospital, London, surinder.birring@kch.nhs.uk Cough is one of the most common reasons why patients seek medical attention. Most cases are acute and self-limiting but in a small proportion, the cough is persistent. This usually necessitates assessment by a respiratory physician. Chronic cough presents many challenges for the physician and is widely perceived as a condition that is difficult to assess and treat. Patients with chronic cough suffer considerable physical and psychological morbidity.1 There have been many recent advances in the field of chronic cough, after paucity of research since the development of diagnos- tic algorithms in the 1980s. Management guidelines are available from the American College of Chest Physicians, European Respiratory Society and British Thoracic Society.2–4 A number of well-validated cough assessment tools have been developed,5 new causes of cough have been identified6,7 and insights into idio- pathic chronic cough are emerging.8–10 Novel mecha- nisms of cough have been described that are potential therapeutic targets for the future.11 Current therapies are often disappointing in their efficacy and much work still remains to be done in developing effective anti-tussive drugs. In this review series, a number of leading experts provide an update on