Not quite asthma: differential diagnosis of dyspnea, cough, and wheezing

Abstract

Every allergist will eventually encounter a patient who has a persistent cough, dyspnea, and wheezing, but few atopic references, and a limited response to conventional treatment. Is this asthma or something different? The conditions that are misleading can be fairly ordinary or they can be esoteric. This article reviews the characteristics of several of the more common, less common, and uncommon masqueraders of asthma, along with the differentiating features that can help physicians recognize them.