Takehiro Otoshi1, Tatsuya Nagano2, Yasuhiro Funada3, Kazuhiro Takenaka3, Hiroyuki Nakata3, Hisashi Ohnishi4, Teruaki Nishiuma4, Takeo Nakajima5, Toshiaki Kageshita6, Takaaki Tsuchiya6, Masatsugu Yamamoto1, Kazuyuki Kobayashi1, Yoshihiro Nishimura1. 1. Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan. 2. Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan tnagano@med.kobe-u.ac.jp. 3. Department of Respiratory Disease, Takatsuki General Hospital, Takatsuki, Japan. 4. Department of Respiratory Medicine, Akashi Medical Center, Akashi, Japan. 5. Department of Respiratory Medicine, Kobe Rosai Hospital, Kobe, Japan. 6. Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Hospital Organization Kobe Medical Center, Kobe, Japan.
Abstract
AIM: The aim of this study was to identify factors affecting the final diagnosis of cough. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study recruited 463 consecutive patients who visited five Japanese general hospitals due to cough from October 2006 to September 2007. Of these, 418 patients (90%) who completed a questionnaire designed to acquire data regarding clinical manifestations of cough were included. RESULTS: Most patients with bronchial asthma had cough with seasonal variation and wheezing. Patients with gastro esophageal reflux disease suffered from heartburn and cough without daily or seasonal variation. Cough associated with sinobronchial syndrome was only observed in females and was linked to increased sputum. Patients with whooping cough were bothered by cough interrupting sleep and talking. Patients with cardiogenic cough had exertional dyspnea. CONCLUSION: The specific items on our questionnaire relating to patient characteristics, complications, and triggers of cough, represent useful tools for diagnosing the primary disease producing cough. Copyright
AIM: The aim of this study was to identify factors affecting the final diagnosis of cough. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study recruited 463 consecutive patients who visited five Japanese general hospitals due to cough from October 2006 to September 2007. Of these, 418 patients (90%) who completed a questionnaire designed to acquire data regarding clinical manifestations of cough were included. RESULTS: Most patients with bronchial asthma had cough with seasonal variation and wheezing. Patients with gastro esophageal reflux disease suffered from heartburn and cough without daily or seasonal variation. Cough associated with sinobronchial syndrome was only observed in females and was linked to increased sputum. Patients with whooping cough were bothered by cough interrupting sleep and talking. Patients with cardiogenic cough had exertional dyspnea. CONCLUSION: The specific items on our questionnaire relating to patient characteristics, complications, and triggers of cough, represent useful tools for diagnosing the primary disease producing cough. Copyright