REVIEW   

Minerva Pediatrica 2017 October;69(5):444-52

DOI: 10.23736/S0026-4946.17.04958-1

Copyright © 2017 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Post-infectious persistent cough: pathogenesis and therapeutic options

Carlo CAPRISTO ¹, Giovanni A. ROSSI ^{2, 3} ✉

¹ Department of Woman and Child, General and Specialized Surgery, L. Vanvitelli University of Campania, Naples, Italy; ² Pulmonology and Allergology Unit, Department of Pediatrics, G. Gaslini Hospital, Genoa, Italy; ³ Cystic Fibrosis Regional Center, G. Gaslini Hospital, Genoa, Italy

Post-infectious cough is a common symptom associated with common colds and/or upper respiratory tract infection. This cough is expected to last for only for few days and resolve spontaneously, whilst when persists for longer than three weeks is defined “persistent” and is associated tickling or an irritating sensation in the throat which often leads to paroxysms of coughing. Persistent post-infectious cough can cause morbidity since it may interfere with usual living. Despite the recent advances in understanding the mechanisms that regulate cough, in physiological and pathological conditions, current therapeutic options for post-infectious cough are little or only moderately effective.

KEY WORDS: Virus diseases - Airway management - Adrenal cortex hormones