Authors' objectives: Cough is the most common complaint for patients seeking medical attention in the United States. Although the most common cause of cough is acute self-limited viral infections, chronic cough (cough that lasts more than 4 weeks in children <14 years of age or more than 8 weeks in adolescents and adults) has a significant impact on quality of life and is responsible for up to 38 percent of pulmonary outpatient visits. Furthermore, a treatable cause is absent in up to 46 percent of patients with chronic cough despite a thorough diagnostic investigation. The comparative value of tools for assessing cough and the comparative effectiveness of treatments for unexplained or refractory cough are uncertain.

Authors' recommendations: Several instruments for assessing cough severity, frequency, and impact on coughspecific quality of life show good internal consistency but variable correlation with other cough measurement tools, meaning that a number of instruments are precise but their accuracy is less clear. Although the evidence is sparse, the opioid and certain nonopioid/nonanesthetic antitussives most frequently demonstrated efficacy for managing the symptom of chronic cough in adults. Our review highlights the need for further studies in patient populations with unexplained or refractory chronic cough as determined by current diagnostic and empiric treatment recommendations. Further, it shows the need for more systematic design and reporting of these studies and assessment of their patient-centered outcomes. This is in contrast to the more extensive literature on the management of acute cough.

Project Status: Completed

Year Published: 2013

URL for published report: http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/ehc/products/356/1371/CER100_ChronicCough_FinalReport_20130102.pdf

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: United States

Organisation Name: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Contact Address: Center for Outcomes and Evidence Technology Assessment Program, 540 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD 20850, USA. Tel: +1 301 427 1610; Fax: +1 301 427 1639;

Contact Name: martin.erlichman@ahrq.hhs.gov

Contact Email: martin.erlichman@ahrq.hhs.gov

Copyright: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)