A 48-year-old patient presents with persistent throat irrita…

A 48-year-old patient presents with persistent throat irritation, intermittent hoarseness, and a chronic nonproductive cough that is worse at night. He denies fever, nasal congestion, or lower extremity swelling. His symptoms have been ongoing for several months. Which of the following symptoms is most commonly associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and should raise clinical suspicion during evaluation?