Management of patients with chronic cough using a clinical protocol: a prospective observational study

Cough

Table 2 Diagnoses of patients at discharge

Diagnosis	Clinical Assessment	Sequential Therapeutic Trials	Conventional Protocol	Total
	n = 51	n = 23	n = 18	n = 92
	Frequency (%)	Frequency (%)	Frequency (%)	Frequency (%)
Reflux related cough	19 (37.3)	2 (8.7)	6 (33.3)	27 (29.3)
Asthma	17 (33.3)	2 (8.7)	1 (5.6)	20 (21.7)
Rhinitis	5 (9.8)	3 (13)	3 (11.7)	11 (12)
Post-infective	4 (7.8)	0	0	4 (4.3)
Multiple Causes	3 (5.8)	8 (34.7)	0	11 (12)
Idiopathic	0	0	7 (38.9)	7 (7.6)
Other *	3 (5.8)	8 (34.7)	1 (5.6)	12 (13)

The clinical assessment arm includes those who responded to treatment for the initial diagnosis made at the first clinic review. The sequential therapeutic trials arm comprised those responded to treatment given for an alternate diagnosis, having failed therapy for the initial diagnosis considered. The investigational protocol arm comprised those failed to respond to sequential therapeutic trials and needed specific investigations to establish a diagnosis. A diagnosis of post infective cough was made on the basis of a history to suggest a preceding respiratory tract infection and the cough having improved at the clinic review. Other* diagnoses included bronchiectasis, cancer, interstitial lung disease and self-limiting cough.