title: Prevalence of chronic cough and possible causes in the general population based on the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
abstract: Although chronic cough is very common, its prevalence and causes have been rarely reported in the large general population including smokers. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of possible causes of chronic cough and their clinical impact.From Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) data including 119,280 adults aged over 40 years, 302 individuals with chronic cough were recruited irrespective of smoking status. Data from questionnaire, laboratory tests including spirometry, chest radiographs, and otorhinolaryngologic examination were analyzed.The prevalence of chronic cough in adults was 2.5% ± 0.2%. Current smokers occupied 47.7% ± 3.8% of study population and 46.8% ± 3.9% of the subjects showed upper airway cough syndrome (UACS). Based on spirometry, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was identified in 26.4% ± 3.5%. Asthma explained for 14.5% ± 2.8% of chronic cough. Only 4.1% ± 1.6% showed chronic laryngitis suggesting gastro-esophageal reflux-related cough. Abnormalities on chest radiography were found in 4.0% ± 1.2%. Interestingly, 50.3% ± 4.5% of study subjects had coexisting causes. In multivariate analysis, only current smoking (odds ratio [OR] 3.16, P < 0.001), UACS (OR 2.50, P < 0.001), COPD (OR 2.41, P < 0.001), asthma (OR 8.89, P < 0.001), and chest radiographic abnormalities (OR 2.74, P = 0.003) were independent risk factor for chronic cough. This pattern was not different according to smoking status excepting the prevalence of COPD.Smoking, COPD, and chest radiographic abnormalities should be considered as causes of chronic cough, along with UACS and asthma. Gastro-esophageal reflux-related cough is not prevalent in study population.
authors.affiliation: Divison of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Ilsan Department of Internal Medicine, National Medical Center, Seoul Department of Pulmonology and Critical Care Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul Department of Critical Care, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Kyung Hee Medical Center, Kyung Hee University Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Kyung Hee University, Seoul Division of Pulmonary, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul Division of Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, St. Vincent's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Suwon Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon Department of Pulmonary and Allergy, Department of Internal Medicine, Regional Respiratory Center, Yeungnam University Hospital, Daegu Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul Division of Pulmonology and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Uijeongbu St Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Uijeongbu Division of Pulmonary, Sleep and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Korea University Medical School, Seoul Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yeouido St Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, KonKuk University School of Medicine, Seoul Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wonkwang University Sanbon Hospital, Wonkwang University College of Medicine, Sanbon Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul Metropolitan Government-Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeon-Kyoung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.forename: Ina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Sei Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jinkyeong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Joo-Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: So Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Hye Yun
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Chin Kook
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.forename: Yee Hyung
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ji Ye
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Sung-Kyoung
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yong Hyun
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eun Young
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Ji-Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Jong-Wook
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Jin Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyung Hoon
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: Sei Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kwang Ha
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Je Hyeong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seung Hun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Hyoung Kyu
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Hui Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ki-Suck
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Deog Kyeom
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D003371:Cough / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D015995:Prevalence; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology