title: A novel diagnostic algorithm for chronic and subacute cough.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cough remains the most common reason for patients to seek medical attention. We practised a novel diagnostic algorithm for chronic and subacute cough.
  
  
  METHODS
  Chronic and subacute cough patients with normal chest X-ray results and without respiratory tract infections in the preceding eight weeks were recruited. The patients were divided into two groups: Group A, patients with typical symptoms and signs of postnasal drip syndrome (PNDS), asthma syndromes (AS) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD); Group B, patients without the typical symptoms and signs. The two groups received targeted or sequential empirical trials of therapy according to the algorithm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 524 patients available for analysis in Groups A and B, 436 (83.6%) were diagnosed to have PNDS (34.2%), AS (44.5%) and/or GERD (10.1%), among which 26 had two causes (6.0%) and 6 had three causes (1.4%). After empirical trials of therapy, 81.5% of the patients were diagnosed. The mean time for diagnosis was considerably shorter in Group A (13.1 ± 5.6 d) than in Group B (23.4 ± 7.2 d) (p < 0.01). The diagnosis rate of the first trial in Group A (54.1%) was significantly higher than that in Group B (28.6%, p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The proposed algorithm is a promising and practical approach to diagnose chronic and subacute cough.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150086, China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150086, China.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, No. 37 Yiyuan Street Nangang District, Harbin 150086, China.
authors.forename: Chengzhen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jin
keywords: Asthma; Cough; Diagnosis; Gastroesophageal reflux disease; Postnasal drip syndrome