Chronic cough: the allergist's perspective

Cough is a common presenting symptom of many patients managed by allergists. For patients with chronic cough who are nonsmokers, have normal spirometry, and are not being treated with an ACE inhibitor, diagnosis usually focuses on differentiation between postnasal drip syndrome, asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and nonasthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis, alone or in combination. Patients with severe COPD or GERD should be referred to appropriate specialists for those conditions. The management of conditions commonly treated by allergists (e.g., allergic rhinitis, asthma, sinusitis) follows the recommendations of current guidelines and/or practice parameters.