Professional Interests

Peter Dicpinigaitis, M.D., is a Professor of Medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in the Division of Critical Care Medicine. Dr. Dicpinigaitis has been active in the field of cough research for over 25 years. Dr. Dicpinigaitis and colleagues have developed methods of cough reflex sensitivity measurement with the tussive agent capsaicin that have been adopted in international guidelines as the proposed standard method of cough challenge testing.

Using this methodology, Dr. Dicpinigaitis has performed numerous studies to evaluate potential antitussive drugs; to evaluate the effect of non-pharmacological interventions such as cigarette smoking and viral infections on cough reflex sensitivity; as well as to evaluate ethnic and gender differences in cough reflex sensitivity.

Dr. Dicpinigaitis is founder and director of the Montefiore Cough Center, one of the few specialty centers in the world dedicated to the evaluation and management of patients with chronic cough. He is a co-author of cough management guidelines published by the American College of Chest Physicians and the European Respiratory Society, and is the founder and chairman of the bi-annual American Cough Conference. Dr. Dicpinigaitis also serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the journal LUNG.

Clinical Specialty Areas

• cough
• critical care medicine

Selected Publications

1. Dicpinigaitis PV, Rhoton WA, Bhat R, Negassa A. Investigation of the urge-to-cough sensation in healthy volunteers. Respirology. 2012;17:337-341.
2. Dicpinigaitis PV, Weiner FR. Chronic cough associated with interferon/ribavirin therapy for hepatitis C. J Clin Pharm Ther. 2011 Jun;36(3):416-8.
3. Widdicombe J, Tatar M, Fontana G, Hanacek J, Davenport P, Lavorini F, Bolser D; Other participants. Workshop: tuning the 'cough center'. Pulm Pharmacol Ther.  2011 Jun;24(3):344-52.
4. Dicpinigaitis PV. Cough: an unmet clinical need. Br J Pharmacol. 2011 May;163(1):116-24. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.2010.01198.x.   
5. Dicpinigaitis PV, Bhat R, Rhoton WA, Tibb AS, Negassa A. Effect of viral upper respiratory tract infection on the urge-to-cough sensation. Respir Med. 2011 Apr;105(4):615-8.
6. Dicpinigaitis PV. Optimization of tissue oxygenation in critically ill Jehovah's Witness patients. Am J Med. 2010 Aug;123(8):e17; author reply e19.
7. Sitkauskiene B, Dicpinigaitis PV. Effect of smoking on cough reflex sensitivity in humans. Lung. 2010 Jan;188 Suppl 1:S29-32.  
8. Dicpinigaitis PV. The second american cough conference. Lung. 2010 Jan;188 Suppl 1:S1-2.
9. Dicpinigaitis PV, Colice GL, Goolsby MJ, Rogg GI, Spector SL, Winther B. Acute cough: a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Cough. 2009 Dec 16;5:11.
10. Bateman ED, Rennard S, Barnes PJ, Dicpinigaitis PV, Gosens R, Gross NJ, Nadel JA, Pfeifer M, Racké K, Rabe KF, Rubin BK, Welte T, Wessler I. Alternative mechanisms for tiotropium. Pulm Pharmacol Ther. 2009 Dec;22(6):533-42.   
11. Dicpinigaitis PV, Sitkauskiene B. Letter to editor regarding Blanc et al, "Capsaicin cough sensitivity in smokers with and without airflow obstruction". Respir Med. 2009 Aug;103(8):1242-3.
12. Dicpinigaitis PV, Gayle YE, Solomon G, Gilbert RD. Inhibition of cough-reflex sensitivity by benzonatate and guaifenesin in acute viral cough. Respir Med. 2009 Jun;103(6):902-6.
13. Dicpinigaitis PV. Sex, cough and (digital) audiotape. Thorax. 2009 May;64(5):372-3.
14. Dicpinigaitis PV. Currently available antitussives. Pulm Pharmacol Ther. 2009 Apr;22(2):148-51.  
15. Riker RR, Shehabi Y, Bokesch PM, Ceraso D, Wisemandle W, Koura F, Whitten P,  Margolis BD, Byrne DW, Ely EW, Rocha MG; SEDCOM (Safety and Efficacy of Dexmedetomidine Compared With Midazolam) Study Group. Dexmedetomidine vs midazolam for sedation of critically ill patients: a randomized trial. JAMA. 2009 Feb 4;301(5):489-99.
16. Dicpinigaitis PV. Clinical cough III: measuring the cough response in the laboratory. Handb Exp Pharmacol. 2009;(187):297-310.   
17. Stravinskaite K, Sitkauskiene B, Dicpinigaitis PV, Babusyte A, Sakalauskas R. Influence of smoking status on cough reflex sensitivity in subjects with COPD. Lung. 2009 Jan-Feb;187(1):37-42.
18. Dicpinigaitis PV, Spinner L, Santhyadka G, Negassa A. Effect of tiotropium on cough reflex sensitivity in acute viral cough. Lung. 2008 Nov-Dec;186(6):369-74.  
19. McCool FD. Cough, basic science, and the clinician. Lung. 2008 Mar-Apr;186(2):73-4.
20. Dicpinigaitis PV. The First American Cough Conference. New York City, June 8-9, 2007. Lung. 2008;186 Suppl 1:S1-2.
21. Rupp ME, Holley HP Jr, Lutz J, Dicpinigaitis PV, Woods CW, Levine DP, Veney N, Fowler VG Jr. Phase II, randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of a polyclonal anti-Staphylococcus aureus capsular polysaccharide immune globulin in treatment of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia.  Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2007 Dec;51(12):4249-54.
22. Morice AH, Fontana GA, Belvisi MG, Birring SS, Chung KF, Dicpinigaitis PV, Kastelik JA, McGarvey LP, Smith JA, Tatar M, Widdicombe J; European Respiratory Society (ERS). ERS guidelines on the assessment of cough. Eur Respir J. 2007 Jun;29(6):1256-76.
23. Dicpinigaitis PV. Experimentally induced cough. Pulm Pharmacol Ther. 2007;20(4):319-24. 
24. Sitkauskiene B, Stravinskaite K, Sakalauskas R, Dicpinigaitis PV. Changes in  cough reflex sensitivity after cessation and resumption of cigarette smoking. Pulm Pharmacol Ther. 2007;20(3):240-3.
25. Dicpinigaitis PV, Tso R, Banauch G. Prevalence of depressive symptoms among patients with chronic cough. Chest. 2006 Dec;130(6):1839-43.
26. Dicpinigaitis PV, Sitkauskiene B, Stravinskaite K, Appel DW, Negassa A, Sakalauskas R. Effect of smoking cessation on cough reflex sensitivity. Eur Respir J. 2006 Oct;28(4):786-90.
27. Dicpinigaitis PV. Current and future peripherally-acting antitussives. Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2006 Jul 28;152(3):356-62.
28. Dicpinigaitis PV. Potential future therapies for the management of cough: ACCP evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. Chest. 2006 Jan;129(1 Suppl):284S-286S.   
29. Dicpinigaitis PV. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor-induced cough: ACCP evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. Chest. 2006 Jan;129(1 Suppl):169S-173S.   
30. Dicpinigaitis PV. Chronic cough due to asthma: ACCP evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. Chest. 2006 Jan;129(1 Suppl):75S-79S.   
31. Irwin RS, Baumann MH, Bolser DC, Boulet LP, Braman SS, Brightling CE, Brown KK, Canning BJ, Chang AB, Dicpinigaitis PV, Eccles R, Glomb WB, Goldstein LB, Graham LM, Hargreave FE, Kvale PA, Lewis SZ, McCool FD, McCrory DC, Prakash UB, Pratter MR, Rosen MJ, Schulman E, Shannon JJ, Smith Hammond C, Tarlo SM; American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP). Diagnosis and management of cough executive summary: ACCP evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. Chest. 2006 Jan;129(1  Suppl):1S-23S.
32. Dicpinigaitis PV, Alva RV. Safety of capsaicin cough challenge testing. Chest. 2005 Jul;128(1):196-202.   
33. Morice AH, Fontana GA, Sovijarvi AR, Pistolesi M, Chung KF, Widdicombe J, O'Connell F, Geppetti P, Gronke L, De Jongste J, Belvisi M, Dicpinigaitis P, Fischer A, McGarvey L, Fokkens WJ, Kastelik J; ERS Task Force. The diagnosis and  management of chronic cough. Eur Respir J. 2004 Sep;24(3):481-92.   PubMed  PMID: 15358710.
34. Dicpinigaitis PV. Potential new cough therapies. Pulm Pharmacol Ther. 2004;17(6):459-62.   
35. Dicpinigaitis PV. Cough. 4: Cough in asthma and eosinophilic bronchitis. Thorax. 2004 Jan;59(1):71-2.   
36. Dicpinigaitis PV, Gayle YE. Effect of guaifenesin on cough reflex sensitivity. Chest. 2003 Dec;124(6):2178-81.
37. Dicpinigaitis PV, Gayle YE. Effect of the second-generation antihistamine, fexofenadine, on cough reflex sensitivity and pulmonary function. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2003 Nov;56(5):501-4.
38. Dicpinigaitis PV. Cough reflex sensitivity in cigarette smokers. Chest. 2003  Mar;123(3):685-8.
39. Dicpinigaitis PV. Short- and long-term reproducibility of capsaicin cough challenge testing. Pulm Pharmacol Ther. 2003;16(1):61-5.
40. Dicpinigaitis PV, Dobkin JB, Reichel J. Antitussive effect of the leukotriene receptor antagonist zafirlukast in subjects with cough-variant asthma. J Asthma.  2002 Jun;39(4):291-7.
41. Morice AH, Widdicombe J, Dicpinigaitis P, Groenke L. Understanding cough. Eur Respir J. 2002 Jan;19(1):6-7.
42. Dicpinigaitis PV. Capsaicin responsiveness in asthma and COPD. Thorax. 2001 Feb;56(2):162.
43. Dicpinigaitis PV. Effect of the cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor celecoxib on bronchial responsiveness and cough reflex sensitivity in asthmatics. Pulm Pharmacol Ther. 2001;14(2):93-7.
44. Dicpinigaitis PV, Allusson VR, Baldanti A, Nalamati JR. Ethnic and gender differences in cough reflex sensitivity. Respiration. 2001;68(5):480-2.
45. Dicpinigaitis PV, Grimm DR, Lesser M. Baclofen-induced cough suppression in cervical spinal cord injury. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2000 Jul;81(7):921-3. PubMed  PMID: 10896005.
46. Dicpinigaitis PV, Jones JG, Frymus MM, Folkert VW. "Crack" cocaine-induced syndrome mimicking sarcoidosis. Am J Med Sci. 1999 Jun;317(6):416-8.
47. Dicpinigaitis PV, Grimm DR, Lesser M. Cough reflex sensitivity in subjects with cervical spinal cord injury. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1999 May;159(5 Pt 1):1660-2.
48. Dicpinigaitis PV, Dobkin JB. Effect of zafirlukast on cough reflex sensitivity in asthmatics. J Asthma. 1999 May;36(3):265-70.
49. Dicpinigaitis PV. Effect of the GABA-agonist baclofen on bronchial responsiveness in asthmatics. Pulm Pharmacol Ther. 1999;12(4):257-60.
50. Dicpinigaitis PV, Dobkin JB. Effect of angiotensin II receptor blockade on bronchial responsiveness in asthmatic subjects. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1998 Sep;102(3):521-2.
51. Dicpinigaitis PV, Rauf K. The influence of gender on cough reflex sensitivity. Chest. 1998 May;113(5):1319-21.
52. Dicpinigaitis PV, Dobkin JB, Rauf K, Aldrich TK. Inhibition of capsaicin-induced cough by the gamma-aminobutyric acid agonist baclofen. J Clin Pharmacol. 1998 Apr;38(4):364-7.
53. Dicpinigaitis PV, Rauf K. Treatment of chronic, refractory cough with baclofen. Respiration. 1998;65(1):86-8.
54. Dicpinigaitis PV, Dobkin JB. Antitussive effect of the GABA-agonist baclofen. Chest. 1997 Apr;111(4):996-9.
55. Dicpinigaitis PV, Thomas SA, Sherman MB, Gayle YE, Rosenstreich DL. Losartan-induced bronchospasm. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1996 Dec;98(6 Pt 1):1128-30.
56. Dicpinigaitis PV. Use of baclofen to suppress cough induced by angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. Ann Pharmacother. 1996 Nov;30(11):1242-5.
57. Dicpinigaitis PV, Dobkin JB. Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition on bronchial responsiveness. J Clin Pharmacol. 1996 Apr;36(4):361-4.
58. Dicpinigaitis PV, Mehta DC. Postobstructive pulmonary edema induced by endotracheal tube occlusion. Intensive Care Med. 1995 Dec;21(12):1048-50. PubMed  PMID: 8750134.
59. Dicpinigaitis PV, Levy DE, Gnass RD, Bernstein RG. Pneumonia due to Staphylococcus aureus in a patient with AIDS: review of incidence and report of an atypical roentgenographic presentation. South Med J. 1995 May;88(5):586-90.   
60. Dicpinigaitis PV, Almenoff PL. Effect of pulmonary sympathetic blockade on bronchial responsiveness. Anesthesiology. 1995 Mar;82(3):794-5.
61. Dicpinigaitis PV, Spungen AM, Bauman WA, Absgarten A, Almenoff PL. Inhibition of bronchial hyperresponsiveness by the GABA-agonist baclofen. Chest. 1994 Sep;106(3):758-61.
62. Dicpinigaitis PV, Spungen AM, Bauman WA, Absgarten A, Almenoff PL. Bronchial  hyperresponsiveness after cervical spinal cord injury. Chest. 1994 Apr;105(4):1073-6.
63. Dicpinigaitis PV. Acute respiratory distress syndrome. BMJ. 1994 Jan 29;308(6924):344.
64. Wu LT, Dicpinigaitis P, Bruckner H, Manger W, Averbuch S. Hypertensive crises induced by treatment of malignant pheochromocytoma with a combination of cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and dacarbazine. Med Pediatr Oncol. 1994;22(6):389-92.
65. Dicpinigaitis PV, Nierman DM, Miller A. Baclofen-induced bronchoconstriction. Ann Pharmacother. 1993 Jul-Aug;27(7-8):883-4.
66. Spungen AM, Dicpinigaitis PV, Almenoff PL, Bauman WA. Pulmonary obstruction in individuals with cervical spinal cord lesions unmasked by bronchodilator administration. Paraplegia. 1993 Jun;31(6):404-7. 
67. Dicpinigaitis PV, Bleiweiss IJ, Krellenstein DJ, Halton KP, Teirstein AS. Primary endobronchial actinomycosis in association with foreign body aspiration.  Chest. 1992 Jan;101(1):283-5.