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Chronic cough and gastroesophageal reflux disease: experience with specific therapy for diagnosis and treatment

Poe RH, Kallay MC

Chest, 2003

214 participants

Abstract

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate experience using a therapeutic trial of proton-pump inhibitor therapy with or without a prokinetic agent in diagnosis and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)-related cough.

DESIGN: A review of experience with 214 patients with cough of > or = 3 weeks referred over 3.5 years. An anatomic diagnostic protocol was used to identify and treat those with GERD-related cough.

SETTING: A pulmonary specialty practice affiliated with the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.

PATIENTS: One hundred eighty-three patients were identified with chronic cough and were included in the study. Thirty-one patients were disqualified because of abnormal chest radiographic findings, inadequate follow-up, or cough being not the primary complaint. Fifty-six patients were identified as having GERD-related cough.

INTERVENTIONS: A once-daily dose of a proton-pump inhibitor was prescribed. A prokinetic agent was added if esophageal dysfunction was suspected or response was inadequate. Those who did not respond underwent 24-h esophageal pH monitoring.

RESULTS: GERD was the single cause of cough in 24 patients (43%). Twenty-nine patients (52%) had GERD plus another cause, and 3 patients (5%) had GERD with more than two causes. Twenty-four patients (43%) had cough only, while 32 patients (57%) had other symptoms of GERD. Proton-pump therapy was successful in 42 patients (79%). Twenty-four patients responded to proton-pump inhibitor therapy, and…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a cohort study, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 214 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

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