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Chronic cough is defined as persistent cough for more than eight weeks without a defined diagnosis. Irwin and other authors have identified sinusitis, asthma and gastroesophageal reflux as the most common causes of chronic cough. Objectives: To know the clinical spectrum and the most common causes of chronic cough, as well as lo perform a comparative analysis with the literature. Material and methods: A retrospective and transversal study was performed analyzing the clinical records of patients attending consultation because of chronic cough at Dr. Jose E. Gonzalez University Hospital at the Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon, and the Clínica Cuauhtemoc y Famosa, in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, from January, 1998, to December, 2000. The main symptoms and signs of each patient were analyzed, as well as the final diagnosis of the cough's cause and the response to treatment. In addition, a comparative analysis of the data found. In this population and those reported by Irwin et al on the main cause of this symptom. For the statistical analysis, multivarianza analysis, x2 test and Mantel Haenszel with 2x2 table were used considering a p < 0 05 as significant. Results: One hundred eight records were reviewed, but only 91 were included. The most common final diagnoses were gastroesophageal reflux in 75 patients (82%), followed by sinusitis in 34 cases (37%) and mixed causes (more than two) in 25 subjects (27%) (p = 0 016). All patients responded properly to specific treatment directed to the identified base-disease, with which symptoms were solved. Conclusions: In our population, unlike described by Irwin, the most frequent cause of chronic cough is gastroesophageal reflux, followed by sinusitis and mixed causes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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