Chronic cough - causes, mechanisms and treatment
Major Symposium Chairs: J. G. Widdicombe (London, United Kingdom), G. Fontana (Florence, Italy)
Aims: Cough is the most common symptom of respiratory disease and illness, and persistent cough is often a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for the respiratory physician. This symposium will review the recent findings regarding causes, mechanisms and treatment of chronic persistent cough. Chronic cough is also an important symptom of many chronic respiratory diseases, such as asthma and COPD. There has been some improved understanding of why cough may become persistent, but there is an urgent need for better primary antitussive therapies. How chronic cough can be measured also needs investigation.