OBJECTIVE: To understand the causes of chronic cough in children in China and the composition ratio of the distribution and to promote the standardization and normalization of its treatment. METHOD: According to the 2008 Guidelines of diagnosis and treatment of chronic cough in children that were formulated by The Subspecialty Group of Respiratory Diseases, The Society of Pediatrics, Chinese Medical Association and the editorial board of Chinese Journal of Pediatrics we designed the questionnaire of the causes of chronic cough in children and organized 29 hospitals in 19 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions to enroll cases with chronic cough and completed 3-month follow-up. The data were statistically analyzed and the causes constituents ratio of chronic cough was obtained. RESULT: Of 4582 cases, 4529 were eligible (the passing rate of 98.8%). The leading 3 causes were cough variant asthma (CVA) in 1900 cases (41.95%), upper airway cough syndrome (UACS) in 1119 cases (24.71%), respiratory infections and post-infectious cough (PIC) in 984 cases (21.73%). Gastroesophageal reflux cough (GERC) found in 28 cases (accounting for 0.62%); other causes were 498 cases (11%), in which 387 cases (8.54%) had multiple etiologies. The leading cause in UACS associated with CVA, which accounted for 50.13%, followed by PIC with UACS accounting for 26.10%. The total correct diagnosis rate was 18.83%. Among different causes in different gender and age distribution were significantly different. CONCLUSION: The main causes of chronic cough in Chinese children are CVA, UACS, PIC and other causes. We should pay attention to the causes and cases of unknown etiology. Children in different age and gender groups have different constitute ratio of cause of chronic cough.
OBJECTIVE: To understand the causes of chronic cough in children in China and the composition ratio of the distribution and to promote the standardization and normalization of its treatment. METHOD: According to the 2008 Guidelines of diagnosis and treatment of chronic cough in children that were formulated by The Subspecialty Group of Respiratory Diseases, The Society of Pediatrics, Chinese Medical Association and the editorial board of Chinese Journal of Pediatrics we designed the questionnaire of the causes of chronic cough in children and organized 29 hospitals in 19 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions to enroll cases with chronic cough and completed 3-month follow-up. The data were statistically analyzed and the causes constituents ratio of chronic cough was obtained. RESULT: Of 4582 cases, 4529 were eligible (the passing rate of 98.8%). The leading 3 causes were cough variant asthma (CVA) in 1900 cases (41.95%), upper airway cough syndrome (UACS) in 1119 cases (24.71%), respiratory infections and post-infectious cough (PIC) in 984 cases (21.73%). Gastroesophageal reflux cough (GERC) found in 28 cases (accounting for 0.62%); other causes were 498 cases (11%), in which 387 cases (8.54%) had multiple etiologies. The leading cause in UACS associated with CVA, which accounted for 50.13%, followed by PIC with UACS accounting for 26.10%. The total correct diagnosis rate was 18.83%. Among different causes in different gender and age distribution were significantly different. CONCLUSION: The main causes of chronic cough in Chinese children are CVA, UACS, PIC and other causes. We should pay attention to the causes and cases of unknown etiology. Children in different age and gender groups have different constitute ratio of cause of chronic cough.