Arch Dis Child 1997;77:331-334 ( October )

Cough sensitivity in children with asthma, recurrent cough, and cystic fibrosis

Anne B Chang,^a Peter D Phelan,^{a b} Susan M Sawyer,^{a b} Susanna Del Brocco,^a Colin F Robertson^a

^a Department of Thoracic Medicine, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, ^b Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne

Correspondence to: Dr Anne Chang, Department of Thoracic Medicine, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia.

Accepted 12 June 1997

In adults, cough sensitivity is influenced by gender and is heightened in those with non-productive cough. This study examined if cough sensitivity is (i) altered in children with asthma, recurrent cough, and cystic fibrosis and (ii) influenced by age, gender, or forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁).
  Cough sensitivity to capsaicin and spirometry were performed on 209 children grouped by the diagnosis of asthma, recurrent dry cough, cystic fibrosis, and controls.
Cough sensitivity was increased in children with recurrent cough, and lower in children with cystic fibrosis when compared with children with asthma and controls. Age influenced cough sensitivity in the controls. In the asthmatics, FEV₁ (% predicted) correlated to cough sensitivity measures. There was no gender difference in cough sensitivity.
It is concluded that cough sensitivity is different among children with recurrent dry cough, asthma, and cystic fibrosis. In children, age, but not gender, influences cough sensitivity measures and when cough sensitivity is used in comparative studies, children should be matched for age and FEV₁.

Keywords: capsaicin; cough; cystic fibrosis; asthma

---

© 1997 by Archives of Disease in Childhood
CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Kelsall, A, Decalmer, S, McGuinness, K, Woodcock, A, Smith, J A (2009). Sex differences and predictors of objective cough frequency in chronic cough. Thorax 64: 393-398 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Shields, M D, Bush, A, Everard, M L, McKenzie, S, Primhak, R, on behalf of the British Thoracic Society Cough Gu, (2008). Recommendations for the assessment and management of cough in children. Thorax 63: iii1-iii15 [Full Text]  
• Chang, A. B., Gibson, P. G., Ardill, J., McGarvey, L. P. A. (2007). Calcitonin gene-related peptide relates to cough sensitivity in children with chronic cough. Eur Respir J 30: 66-72 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Gupta, A., McKean, M., Chang, A. B (2007). Management of chronic non-specific cough in childhood: an evidence-based review. EDUCATION AND PRACTICE 92: 33-39 [Full Text]  
• Smith, J A, Owen, E C, Jones, A M, Dodd, M E, Webb, A K, Woodcock, A (2006). Objective measurement of cough during pulmonary exacerbations in adults with cystic fibrosis. Thorax 61: 425-429 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Chang, A. B., Glomb, W. B. (2006). Guidelines for Evaluating Chronic Cough in Pediatrics: ACCP Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines. Chest 129: 260S-283S [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Dicpinigaitis, P. V., Alva, R. V. (2005). Safety of Capsaicin Cough Challenge Testing. Chest 128: 196-202 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Kastelik, J. A., Aziz, I., Ojoo, J. C., Thompson, R. H., Redington, A. E., Morice, A. H. (2005). Investigation and management of chronic cough using a probability-based algorithm. Eur Respir J 25: 235-243 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Morice, A H, Kastelik, J A (2003). Cough * 1: Chronic cough in adults. Thorax 58: 901-907 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Chang, A B, Phelan, P D, Robertson, C F, Roberts, R G D, Sawyer, S M (2003). Relation between measurements of cough severity. Arch. Dis. Child. 88: 57-60 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Marcovitch, H. (2003). Atoms. Arch. Dis. Child. 88: 1-1 [Full Text]  
• McKenzie, S.A., Mylonopoulou, M., Bridge, P.D. (2001). Bronchodilator responsiveness and atopy in 5-10-yr-old coughers. Eur Respir J 18: 977-981 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• CHANG, A. B (1999).    Isolated cough: probably not asthma. Arch. Dis. Child. 80: 211-213 [Full Text]