Chronic Cough and CANVAS (Cerebellar Ataxia With Neuropathy and Bilateral Vestibular Areflexia Syndrome)

A descriptive cross-sectional pilot study that included 50 non-smoking patients between the ages of 30 and 99 years with chronic and / or refractory cough as the only manifestation or associated with gastroesophageal reflux.

All patients will undergo the pertinent studies for the diagnosis of chronic cough, those who meet criteria for suspected gastroesophageal reflux will be asked for an esophageal phmetry and esophageal manometry, according to the usual clinical practice.

Peripheral venous blood sample will be obtained for subsequent genetic analysis.

Vibration sensitivity will be studied in all patients regardless of the presence of mutation.

Those with alterations in vibratory sensitivity or mutations in RFC1 will be referred to the Neurology Service for a complementary neurological evaluation. For the molecular study of the DNA sample of the patients, two techniques will be used: standard Polymerase chain reaction amplification with primers flanking the intron 2 fragment of the RFC1 gene and amplification using Repeated Primed Polymerase chain reaction in 3 independent reactions.

Inclusion criteria

• Non-smokers
• Aged between 30 and 99 years
• with chronic and / or refractory cough as the only manifestation or associated with gastroesophageal reflux, who have signed the informed consent will be included.

Exclusion criteria

• Other causes of cough other than gastroesophageal reflux: pneumological diseases (asthma, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchiectasis, tracheomalacia, cystic fibrosis, residual pleural diseases, interstitial diseases, infectious diseases.)
• Upper airway pathologies (rhinitis, sinusitis)
• Foreign bodies
• Smokers or ex-smokers
• Symptoms of associated respiratory allergies
• Severe associated comorbidity.
• Autoimmune disease or systemic inflammatory disease.
• Active immunodeficiency.
• Neoplastic disease.