Understanding the Impact of Chronic Cough on the Quality of Life in the General Population

摘要

Cough is a physiological reflex that protects the lower airways against aspiration and irritation. This reflex can be upregulated by irritants or stimuli, which are mostly self-limited. However, some individuals experience prolonged cough, and a cough lasting more than 8 weeks in an adult is defined as chronic cough. The prevalence of chronic cough was about 10% worldwide but varied widely, and its prevalence in Korea was reported to be 3.5%–4.6%.1,2,3 Chronic cough can be caused by various conditions such as asthma, upper airway cough syndrome, and gastroesophageal reflux diseases; however, the cause of cough experienced by 10%–40% of patients visiting referral clinics remains unexplained. The concept of chronic cough is now changing from a consequent symptom due to underlying diseases to a clinical entity called cough hypersensitivity syndrome (CHS), which usually shows a long-lasting course that is refractory to currently available treatments.4,5