title: Gabapentin in chronic cough.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic cough is regarded as a challenging clinical problem due to its frequency and often limited therapeutic options. Chronic cough that remains refractory to usual medical treatment causes significant quality of life impairment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Recent developments in the treatment of cough include the use of speech pathology and pharmacotherapy with gabapentin. Relevant randomised control trials, reviews and case reports were identified through a PubMed and SCOPUS search of English-language literature referring to these concepts over the last eight years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The effectiveness of neuromodulating medications such as gabapentin and pregabalin in the treatment of cough has been supported primarily through case series, case reports, prospective reviews and a double blind randomised controlled trial. Gabapentin results in a reduction in cough frequency and cough severity. It improves cough related quality of life. The effect is greatest in patients with features of central reflex sensitisation such as laryngeal paraesthesia, hypertussia and allotussia. These symptoms can be measured using the Newcastle Laryngeal Hypersensitivity Questionnaire. Side effects of gabapentin include somnolence and dizziness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recent additions in the treatment of chronic cough have been significant as they consider cough to have a unifying diagnosis of cough hypersensitivity with or without the presence of a neuropathic basis. Effective treatments for refractory chronic cough that target these areas include behavioural treatment such as speech pathology and pharmaceutical treatment with neuromodulating medications such as gabapentin.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Asthma and Respiratory Diseases, School of Medicine and Public Health, Hunter Medical Research Institute, The University of Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia; Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, John Hunter Hospital, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia. Electronic address: peter.gibson@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au.
authors.forename: Peter G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.affiliation: Centre for Asthma and Respiratory Diseases, School of Medicine and Public Health, Hunter Medical Research Institute, The University of Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia; Speech Pathology, John Hunter Hospital, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia.
authors.forename: Anne E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Vertigan
mesh_terms: D000588:Amines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003371:Cough / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077206:Gabapentin; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000588:Amines; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000077206:Gabapentin
keywords: Chronic cough; Cough hypersensitivity; Gabapentin; Neuropathic cough; Speech pathology