Psychogenic cough: a profile of 32 cases.

OBJECTIVE

Psychogenic or nervous cough has generally been viewed as a clinical oddity and largely ignored. Though it is not rare, its clinical profile is not yet well known.

METHOD: In the present study, a series of 32 cases of psychogenic cough is reported.

RESULTS

Of 32 cases, there were 19 females (59.4 percent) and 13 males (40.6 percent). A majority of patients had cough for more than one month. School phobia (in children) and fear of rejection and need for attention were the most common precipitating or perpetuating factors. Twenty patients (62.5 percent) had a psychiatric disorder, the most common being conversion disorder (21.9 percent) followed by mixed anxiety and depressive disorder (12.5 percent). Drug therapy and/or psychotherapy were used as treatment with 12 cases (37.5 percent) showing remission, 16 cases (50.0 percent) having improvement, and 4 cases (12.5 percent) continuing with the complaint.

CONCLUSION

Further studies are warranted to study the treatment and outcome of this important psychiatric disorder.