Chronic persistent cough: an uncommon presenting complaint of thyroiditis

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Pulmonology
• Immunology

Background:

• Chronic cough is a common and often debilitating symptom.
• Thyroiditis, inflammation of the thyroid gland, can present with diverse symptoms.
• The link between thyroiditis and chronic cough is not well-established.

Observation:

• Two patients presented with chronic persistent cough as their primary complaint.
• Extensive diagnostic workups failed to identify other causes for the cough.
• Thyroiditis was suspected only after cough resolved concurrently with thyroiditis treatment.

Findings:

• Thyroiditis can be an underrecognized cause of chronic persistent cough.
• Resolution of thyroiditis symptoms correlated with the cessation of chronic cough.
• Systematic evaluation of cough reflex pathways aided in diagnosis.

Implications:

• Clinicians should consider thyroiditis in the differential diagnosis of chronic cough, especially when other causes are excluded.
• This finding highlights the importance of a comprehensive diagnostic approach.
• Further research may elucidate the mechanisms linking thyroiditis and cough.