Chronischer Husten ist definiert als Husten, der länger als 8 Wochen anhält. Er ist
ein Symptom praktisch aller pneumologischen Erkrankungen und sollte nach Abklärung
der zugrunde liegenden Diagnose möglichst kausal behandelt werden. Nicht immer lässt
sich jedoch eine zugrunde liegende Erkrankung diagnostizieren.
Abstract
Chronic cough (i.e., cough lasting >8 weeks) has a global prevalence of approximately
10%. The individual burden can be long-lasting, with some patients experiencing cough
for many years. Although chronic cough is often a symptom of respiratory diseases
(e.g., lung cancer, tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) or associated
with triggers (e.g., asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease, rhinosinusitis) and
may resolve after targeted treatment of these conditions, some patients continue to
cough despite optimal treatment (refractory chronic cough, RCC) or have no identifiable
conditions presumed to be contributing to the cough (unexplained chronic cough, UCC).
In patients with chronic cough, it is critical to perform a thorough initial patient
assessment with adherence to a diagnostic algorithm (e.g., of the German Respiratory
Society Cough Guidelines) to identify the cause of the symptom cough and provide appropriate
treatment; or diagnose RCC and UCC. Primary care physicians should provide the initial
diagnostic workup of patients with chronic cough (history, physical exam, chest X-ray
and spirometry). If no cause of the cough can be identified, referral to specialists
(e.g., pulmonologists, gastroenterologists, otolaryngologists) may be appropriate.
Increased appreciation of chronic cough as a distinct condition, rather than as only
a symptom of other diseases, may help overcome current challenges in diagnosing and
managing chronic cough.
Schlüsselwörter
Chronischer Husten - chronischer idiopathischer Husten - chronisch refraktärer Husten
- Asthma - gastroösophagealer Reflux - Rhinosinusitis
Keywords
chronic cough - refractory chronic cough - unexplained chronic cough - asthma - gastrooesophageal
reflux - rhinosinusitis
