What are the medical conditions that have cough as a symptom?

Medical Conditions with Cough as a Symptom

Respiratory Tract Infections

Acute Infections

• Upper respiratory tract infections (URI) including the common cold are the most common cause of acute cough lasting less than 3 weeks 1
• Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) including acute tracheobronchitis cause acute cough 1
• Pneumonia presents with cough and is considered a life-threatening diagnosis requiring immediate evaluation 1
• Pertussis (whooping cough) should be suspected when cough lasts ≥2 weeks with paroxysms, post-tussive vomiting, or inspiratory whooping sound 2
• Tuberculosis must be considered in endemic areas or high-risk populations regardless of cough duration, even with normal chest radiographs 1

Post-Infectious Conditions

• Postinfectious cough persists for 3-8 weeks following acute respiratory infection, with postviral airway inflammation accounting for 48.4% of cases 2

Chronic Respiratory Diseases

Obstructive Airway Diseases

• Asthma including cough-variant asthma is one of the top three causes of chronic cough, accounting for over 90% of cases when combined with other common etiologies 3, 4
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) causes chronic cough, with severe exacerbations presenting as life-threatening conditions 1
• Chronic bronchitis from smoking can cause chronic productive cough in 100% of patients, though it typically resolves within 4 weeks of smoking cessation 3, 5

Inflammatory Airway Conditions

• Nonasthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis (NAEB) is an important cause of chronic cough accounting for 5.4% of postinfectious cases and is one of the four most common chronic cough etiologies 3, 2
• Atopic cough is more commonly reported in Asian countries as a distinct entity 3

Parenchymal Lung Diseases

• Interstitial lung disease (ILD) causes chronic cough in up to 80% of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, with cough being the presenting symptom in some cases 1
• Pulmonary sarcoidosis causes chronic cough in 50% of patients, associated with poor health-related quality of life 1
• Scleroderma-related ILD presents with cough as a prevalent symptom associated with more severe disease 1
• Diffuse parenchymal lung disease causes cough that can be debilitating 1
• Pulmonary fibrosis is a recognized cause of chronic cough 6

Structural Airway Diseases

• Bronchiectasis causes chronic productive cough where cough clearance is important 1, 5
• Cystic fibrosis presents with chronic productive cough 5

Upper Airway Conditions

• Upper airway cough syndrome (UACS), previously called postnasal drip syndrome, is one of the top three causes of chronic cough accounting for over 90% of cases when combined with other common etiologies 3, 4
• Rhinosinus conditions cause UACS and account for 33.2% of postinfectious cough cases 3, 2
• Sinusitis is a common cause of chronic cough in children and adults 7

Gastrointestinal Conditions

• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the top three causes of chronic cough, accounting for over 90% of cases when combined with other common etiologies 3, 4

Cardiovascular Conditions

• Heart failure presents with cough and is considered a life-threatening diagnosis 1
• Pulmonary embolism (PE) causes acute cough and is a life-threatening condition 1

Malignancies

• Lung cancer causes cough in the majority of patients, with specific red flags including smokers >45 years with new or changed cough, or adults aged 55-80 with 30 pack-year smoking history 1

Medication-Related Cough

• ACE inhibitor-induced cough is a common adverse drug reaction that must be evaluated before pursuing extensive workup 1, 3, 2
• Sitagliptin-induced cough requires discontinuation for at least 4 weeks before further evaluation 1, 3

Environmental and Occupational Exposures

• Environmental pollution exposure, especially particulates, causes chronic cough 6
• Cigarette smoke exposure (active or passive) is a common cause of chronic cough 3, 6
• Occupational exposures should be systematically evaluated in all chronic cough patients 1, 3

Idiopathic and Hypersensitivity Conditions

• Idiopathic chronic cough occurs when no cause is identified despite thorough evaluation, predominantly affecting middle-aged women around menopause 1, 6
• Cough hypersensitivity syndrome should be considered as an underlying mechanism in refractory chronic cough 3, 4

Infectious Diseases (Chronic)

• Chronic infectious respiratory diseases cause chronic productive cough 5

Autoimmune Conditions

• Organ-specific autoimmune disease is present in up to 30% of patients with idiopathic chronic cough, particularly autoimmune hypothyroidism 1

Pediatric-Specific Conditions

• Aberrant innominate artery causes chronic cough in children 7
• Subglottic stenosis is a cause of chronic cough in pediatric patients 7
• Psychogenic cough occurs in children with chronic cough 7
• Foreign body aspiration should be suspected in children with persistent cough 2