Evaluation of Chronic Cough in Children Using Management Algorithm: A Prospective Cohort Study

To assess the use of a standardized evaluation algorithm [American College of Chest Physician (ACCP) 2006] in children with chronic cough.

In this prospective cohort study, children with chronic cough were evaluated as per the ACCP 2006 diagnostic algorithm. All children were followed regularly at an interval of 2–4 wk. The study’s endpoint was for the patient being cough free for four weeks either following treatment or naturally.

The mean age of the 87 studied children (52 male, 35 female) was 11.9±3 y. Forty children (45.9%) had specific cough pointers on history and examination. Radiograph showed abnormalities in 12 (13.8%) children, and spirometry showed a reversible obstructive pattern on spirometry in 6 (6.9%) among 47 (54%) children without specific cough pointers. After a detailed evaluation, 16 (18.3%) children had no remarkable findings and were reviewed after two weeks. Spontaneous resolution of cough occurred in 6 children. A trial of inhalational corticosteroids (ICS) (9 children) or antibiotics (1 child) was given to the rest of the ten children. Specific underlying diagnoses could be established in 80 (91.9%) children. The most common etiology identified in the study was asthma and asthma-like illnesses (n = 52; 59.8%), followed by upper airway cough syndrome (n = 13; 14.9%) and tuberculosis (n = 9; 10.4%). Eighty-four (96.5%) children had complete resolution of cough during follow-up. The mean time to resolution in the study was 33.6±16.8 d.

This study demonstrated that the ACCP 2006 algorithm is effective in establishing the underlying etiology and managing children with chronic cough.