Persistent Cough in Otolaryngology

Abstract

Persistent cough without accurate pathological findings in the lower respiratory airway can present a difficult diagnostic dilemma. The most common causes, such as chronic bronchitis, asthma, postnasal drip, cough variant asthma, atopic cough, laryngeal allergy and gastroesophageal reflux, can usually be suspected on the basis of history and physical examination and subsequently confirmed by appropriate diagnostic tests and responses to specific therapy. In otolaryngology, postnasal drip, laryngeal allergy, gastroesophageal reflux disease and tracheobronchial foreign body are the primary causes of persistent cough, these clinical features are described in this review. However, when we examine patients complaining of persistent cough, we must also consider the possibility of more severe condition such as lung cancer, bronchial tuberculosis, hypopharyngeal cancer, maxillary malignancy and mycosis.