title: A stepwise protocol for the treatment of refractory gastroesophageal reflux-induced chronic cough.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Refractory gastroesophageal reflux-induced chronic cough (GERC) is difficult to manage. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of a novel stepwise protocol for treating this condition.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 103 consecutive patients with suspected refractory reflux-induced chronic cough failing to a standard anti-reflux therapy were treated with a stepwise therapy. Treatment commences with high-dose omeprazole and, if necessary, is escalated to subsequent sequential treatment with ranitidine and finally baclofen. The primary end-point was overall cough resolution, and the secondary end-point was cough resolution after each treatment step.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High-dose omeprazole eliminated or improved cough in 28.1% of patients (n=29). Further stepwise of treatment with the addition of ranitide yielded a favorable response in an additional 12.6% (n=13) of patients, and subsequent escalation to baclofen provoked response in another 36.9% (n=38) of patients. Overall, this stepwise protocol was successful in 77.6% (n=80) of patients. The diurnal cough symptom score fell from 3 [1] to 1 [0] (Z=6.316, P=0.000), and the nocturnal cough symptom score decreased from 1 [1] to 0 [1] (Z=-4.511, P=0.000), with a corresponding reduction in the Gastroesophageal Reflux Diagnostic Questionnaire score from 8.6±1.7 to 6.8±0.7 (t=3.612, P=0.000). Conversely, the cough threshold C2 to capsaicin was increased from 0.49 (0.49) µmol/L to 1.95 (2.92) µmol/L (Z=-5.892, P=0.000), and the cough threshold C5 was increased from 1.95 (2.92) µmol/L to 7.8 (5.85) µmol/L (Z=-5.171, P=0.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sequential stepwise anti-reflux therapy is a useful therapeutic strategy for refractory reflux-induced chronic cough.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200065, China.
authors.forename: Xianghuai
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200065, China.
authors.forename: Hanjing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200065, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200065, China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200065, China.
authors.forename: Siwei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200065, China.
authors.forename: Zhongmin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Qiu
keywords: Baclofen; cough; gastroesophageal reflux; histamine H2 receptor antagonists; proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)