Cough DDx

Cough – Differential Diagnosis

Common causes

• Upper respiratory infection
• Rhinitis/ Sinusitis
• Influenza
• Bronchitis
• Lower Respiratory infection
• Asthma
• COPD
• GORD
• Whooping cough

Must Not Miss

• Infections
  • Tuberculosis
  • Pneumonia
  • HIV(pneumocystis)
• Left ventricular failure
• Lung cancer

Easily missed

• ACE-I induced cough
• Interstitial lung disease
• Sarcoidosis
• Bronchiectasis
• Psychogenic

Red flags

• Systemic symptoms (fever, weight loss, night sweats)
• Haemoptysis
• Persistent hoarse voice
• Significant dyspnoea
• HIV
• History of cancer

Investigations to consider

• FBC, CRP/ESR
• Serum ACE levels
• PEFR, Spirometry
• CXR
• Sputum cultures (including AFB)
• CT scan
• Bronchoscopy