Can Chronic Cough Be Treated with a Proton Pump Inhibitor?
Patients with chronic cough are frequently seen by physicians, but the condition is difficult to evaluate and treat. Recent studies have suggested that in certain patients, cough is related to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). In some cases of GERD, chronic cough may be the only presenting symptom. The issue facing physicians is how to evaluate patients in whom other common causes of chronic cough have been ruled out. Ours and colleagues evaluated the prevalence of acid refluxinduced chronic cough, the ability of esophageal testing to identify gastroesophageal refluxinduced cough and the usefulness of a proton pump inhibitor in evaluating these patients. Seventy-one patients who were diagnosed with chronic cough were enrolled in the study. The participants were evaluated initially with a chest radiograph, methacholine challenge tests and empiric treatment for postnasal drip. They were then asked to keep a cough diary, noting the frequency and severity of their cough on a graded
