Management of chronic cough in high volume medical offices: efficacy of a sequential protocol
Alonso Muñoz, J.; Gallego Carrión, B.; Carrizo Sierra, S.J.; Vicente González, E.; Marín Trigo, J.M.
Revista Clinica Espanola 201(5): 239-244
2001
ISSN/ISBN: 0014-2565 PMID: 11458791 Document Number: 535226
Chronic cough is one of the main causes of medical consultation. There is not however an homogeneous attitude regarding its management. A prospective evaluation was performed of a simple therapeutic protocol based on the anatomical approach of the cough reflex. A total of 110 patients with chronic cough for longer than four weeks were studied. The exclusion criteria were: non-smoking during the last year, not to have diseases compromising the immune system and not to have received inhibitors of the angiotensing converting enzyme. A three-visit stepwise approach was performed with specific diagnostic tests ordered and a specific therapy instituted according to the clinical suspicion. At the third visit, 97% of patients were free from cough or had improved markedly. Cough causes were identified in 105 cases (95%) and the most common were: asthma (33%), postnasal dripping (29%), gastroesophageal reflux (10%), and asthma with associated gastroesophageal reflux (16%). Patients with asthma had a longer duration of tos compared with those who had postnasal dripping (p < 0.05) as the only differential feature. The diagnostic-therapeutic diagram based on the anatomic reflex of cough is useful for the management of chronic cough in a highly demanded medical office. With this protocol, the cause of cough can be identified and treated successfully in almost every patient with a small number of diagnostic tests and medical visits.