• Seth M Cohen and Stephanie Misono.
• Duke Voice Care Center, Division of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA. seth.cohen@duke.edu
• Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2013 Mar 1;148(3):374-82.

ObjectiveThe goal of this systematic review was to examine the evidence for the use of the neuromodulating agents, amitriptyline, gabapentin, pregabalin, and baclofen, in the management of chronic, idiopathic cough patients.Data SourcesOnline databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Review, and Web of Science, and publications cited in bibliographies were used.Review MethodsLiterature was searched by the 2 authors with a priori criteria for study selection.ResultsEight relevant articles were identified, including 2 randomized controlled trials, 2 prospective cohort or case-series designs with consecutive patients, 1 retrospective case series of consecutive patients, 1 retrospective case series whose consecutive status was not known, and 2 case reports of 6 and 2 patients, respectively. Improvements in cough-specific quality of life were noted in the randomized controlled trials. Cough severity was reduced in studies that measured this outcome measure. In the remaining studies, cough symptoms were less after neuromodulator treatment.ConclusionBenefit from neuromodulator treatment with amitriptyline, gabapentin, pregabalin, and baclofen in chronic, idiopathic cough patients was demonstrated. Further investigations using objective and subjective outcome measures are needed as well as studies exploring optimal dose, length of treatment, and relapse rates posttreatment.

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