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Cough and asthma

Peter P van Asperen1

  • 1Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Locked Bag 4001, Westmead, Sydney 2145, Australia. peterv@chw.edu.au

Paediatric Respiratory Reviews
|February 14, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Most children with recurrent cough but no wheeze do not have asthma, often exhibiting heightened cough receptor sensitivity. Asthma-related cough in children doesn't always correlate with asthma severity, complicating diagnosis and treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Allergy and Immunology

Background:

  • The relationship between cough and asthma in children is complex and often misdiagnosed.
  • Recurrent cough without wheezing in children is frequently labeled as non-specific cough.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the diagnostic challenges differentiating non-specific cough from asthma in children.
  • To review the role of cough receptor sensitivity in both conditions.
  • To assess current treatment strategies for cough in pediatric asthma and non-specific cough.

Main Methods:

  • Review of epidemiological studies on pediatric cough and asthma.
  • Analysis of clinical features distinguishing non-specific cough from asthma.
  • Evaluation of treatment responses in children with cough.

Main Results:

  • Most children with recurrent cough and no wheeze do not have asthma; they often present with increased cough receptor sensitivity.
  • Children with asthma and cough also show heightened cough receptor sensitivity, especially during exacerbations.
  • Cough severity generally does not correlate with asthma severity, and distinguishing features are limited beyond wheeze and dyspnea.

Conclusions:

  • Non-specific cough in children is linked to increased cough receptor sensitivity, not necessarily asthma.
  • Asthma treatment trials may be considered for non-specific cough, but treatment escalation should be avoided if ineffective.
  • Cough should not be the primary symptom guiding asthma therapy in children.

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