Cough with Sputum Production

CLINICAL DIAGNOSTIC MANUAL

Cough with sputum production is a common symptom in various respiratory diseases, characterised by the expulsion of mucus from the lungs and airways. The amount, colour, and consistency of the mucus can provide clues about the underlying cause of the cough.

This symptom may indicate acute or chronic infections, inflammation, or even more severe conditions such as pneumonia or lung abscesses. An appropriate evaluation is essential to determine the etiology and administer the correct treatment.

Pathology	Clinical Symptoms and Signs	Suspected Diagnosis	Confirmatory Diagnosis
Chronic bronchitis	Chronic cough with sputum, dyspnoea, wheezing, recurrent respiratory infections	Clinical history, physical examination, chest X-ray	Pulmonary function tests, chest X-ray, sputum culture
Acute viral bronchitis	Cough with clear or white sputum, fever, nasal congestion, general malaise	Clinical history, physical examination	Clinical diagnosis, rarely requires additional tests
Acute bacterial bronchitis	Cough with purulent sputum, high fever, general malaise, chest pain	Clinical history, physical examination, chest X-ray	Sputum culture, chest X-ray
Pneumonia	High fever, productive cough, chest pain, dyspnoea, chills, purulent or blood-stained sputum	Clinical history, physical examination, chest X-ray	Sputum culture, blood cultures, chest X-ray
Lung abscess	Fever, night sweats, weight loss, cough with foul-smelling sputum, chest pain	Clinical history, chest X-ray	Computed tomography (CT), sputum culture
Others	Varies depending on the specific pathology but may include fever, chest pain, dyspnoea, cough with sputum	Clinical history, physical examination, chest X-ray, specific tests as indicated	Imaging studies, cultures, biopsies as needed