Analysis of intractable cough in 128 children

Abstract

To disclose the etiological factors and to investigate the therapeutical effect on nasal disorders in 128 children with intractable cough. One hundred and twenty-eight children with intractable cough were consulted by ENT doctors using electronic nasopharyngoscope, for those children with nasal diseases, relevant treatment was given. Among 128 children, one hundred and sixteen had nasal disorders. Upper airway cough syndrome (UACS) was diagnosed in 92 cases (71.9%), nasal disorders without UACS was diagnosed in 24 cases (18.7%), no nasal disorders were found in 12 cases (9.4%). Among children with UACS, allergic rhinitis was diagnosed in 76 cases, rhino-sinusitis in 39 cases, adenoid hypertrophy in 54 cases, and chronic rhinitis in 8 cases. However, for those children without UACS, 10 cases had chronic rhinitis and 14 cases had allergic rhinitis. Clinical symptoms, signs and the findings of electronic nasopharyngoscope were analyzed in 92 children with UACS. The results showed that regular cough occurred in 62 cases, nasal disease in 65 cases, subjective feeling of postnasal discharge in 18 cases, mouth breathing or snoring in 32 cases, purulent secretion in nasal meatus in 61 cases, retropharyngeal folliculosis in 58 cases, purulent secretion in pharynges detected from pharynx in 41 cases, and purulent or viscosity secretion were found in 91 cases by first electronic nasopharyngoscopy. After 14 days of treatment, the children with UACS (90/92) had significant higher remission rate (chi² = 32.21, P = 0.000) in cough than those who had nasal disorders but without UACS (13/24). The nasal disorders, especially for UACS, were common in children with intractable cough. The therapy to nasal disorders could release the chronic cough symptoms in children with intractable cough.