Evaluation of 563 children with chronic cough accompanied by a new clinical algorithm

Ital J Pediatr. 2015 Oct 6:41:73. doi: 10.1186/s13052-015-0180-0.

Abstract

Background: This study aims to evaluate the children with chronic cough and to analyze their etiological factors according to the age groups.

Method: Five hundred sixty-three children with chronic cough were included. The last diagnosis were established and were also emphasized according to the age groups.

Results: The mean age was 5.4 ± 3.8 years (2-months-17-years) and 52 % of them were male. The most common final diagnosis from all the participants were: asthma (24.9 %), asthma-like symptoms (19 %), protracted bacterial bronchitis (PBB) (11.9 %), and upper airway cough syndrome (9.1 %). However, psychogenic cough was the second most common diagnosis in the subjects over 6 years of age.

Conclusion: Asthma and asthma-like symptoms were the most common diagnosis in children. Different age groups in children may have a different order of frequencies. Psychogenic cough should be thought of in the common causes especially in older children.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Algorithms*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Chronic Disease
  • Cough / epidemiology
  • Cough / etiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Turkey / epidemiology