FREE NEJM E-TOC    HOME   |   SUBSCRIBE   |   CURRENT ISSUE   |   PAST ISSUES   |   COLLECTIONS   |   Search Term  Advanced Search

Sign in | Get NEJM's E-Mail Table of Contents — Free | Subscribe

Previous Volume 292:555-559 March 13, 1975 Number 11 Next

	Add to Personal Archive Add to Citation Manager Notify a Friend E-mail When Cited PubMed Citation

Abstract

Although wheezing is believed to be a cardinal manifestation of asthma, some patients with this disorder may not present with wheezing, but rather with either exertional dyspnea or cough. In 14 such patients with dyspnea, there was peripheral airway dysfunction with markedly elevated residual volumes, frequency dependence of dynamic compliance and depressed flow rates in the middle-vital-capacity range, whereas specific conductance and one-second forced expiratory volumes were normal. Circumstantial evidence suggests that mucosal edema or mucous secretions may have been responsible. In seven patients with cough, studies revealed a more severe obstructive pattern that appeared to be the result of increased large-airway resistance, and the patients' response to isoproterenol indicated that contraction of bronchial smooth muscle may have been principally responsible. Thus, intermittent episodes of cough or breathlessness may represent variant aspects of asthmatic attacks.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Spencer, D (2007). A paper that changed my practice: S McKenzie. Cough but is it asthma? Arch Dis Child 1994;70:1-2. Arch. Dis. Child. 92: 82-83 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Dicpinigaitis, P. V. (2006). Chronic Cough Due to Asthma: ACCP Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines. Chest 129: 75S-79S [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Chang, A. B., Glomb, W. B. (2006). Guidelines for Evaluating Chronic Cough in Pediatrics: ACCP Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines. Chest 129: 260S-283S [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Mochizuki, H., Arakawa, H., Tokuyama, K., Morikawa, A. (2005). Bronchial Sensitivity and Bronchial Reactivity in Children With Cough Variant Asthma. Chest 128: 2427-2434 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Irwin, R. S., Madison, J. M. (2001). Symptom Research on Chronic Cough: A Historical Perspective. ANN INTERN MED 134: 809-814 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Faniran, A O, Peat, J K, Woolcock, A J (1998). Persistent cough: is it asthma?. Arch. Dis. Child. 79: 411-414 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Chang, A. B, Phelan, P. D, Carlin, J. B, Sawyer, S. M, Robertson, C. F (1998). A randomised, placebo controlled trial of inhaled salbutamol and beclomethasone for recurrent cough. Arch. Dis. Child. 79: 6-11 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Chang, A. B, Phelan, P. D, Sawyer, S. M, Del Brocco, S., Robertson, C. F (1997). Cough sensitivity in children with asthma, recurrent cough, and cystic fibrosis. Arch. Dis. Child. 77: 331-334 [Abstract] [Full Text]