Journal of Allergy & Therapy

Abstract

A Cough of Unknown Origin: An Often Serious, Unmet Clinical Problem

Vincenzo Patella, Giovanni Florio, Girolamo Adiletta and Pierachille Santus

Coughing is a common symptom present in primary care. Results of epidemiologic surveys suggest that only a small fraction of patients with a cough seek medical care for this symptom. Typically, symptoms that have no identified cause such as the cough of unknown origin (CUO) is a serious clinical problem in internal medicine and is all too often connected to allergy backgrounds. Coughing in itself is a problem regardless of either a causative condition identified as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or gastroesophageal reflux, or its origin remains unknown. This article reviews our current understanding of the pathogenesis of coughing that characterizes a number of respiratory and non-respiratory diseases. A more in-depth knowledge in this field of international medicine is a condition for a more targeted clinical approach to the patient with CUO and helps contain health care costs while providing unquestionable benefits to the community. Finally, it is reported the most recent approach for the CUO’s treatment.