[Management of chronic cough in high volume medical offices: efficacy of a sequential protocol].
BACKGROUND
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.


METHODS
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.


RESULTS
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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Alonso Muñoz
J
J
Servicios de Neumología y Otorrinolaringología, Hospital Miguel Servet y Departamento de Medicina y Psiquiatría, Universidad de Zaragoza.
Gallego Carrión
B
B
Carrizo Sierra
S J
SJ
Vicente González
E
E
Marín Trigo
J M
JM
D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003371:Cough / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies