TY - JOUR
T1 - An observational study on cough in children
T2 - Epidemiology, impact on quality of sleep and treatment outcome
AU - De Blasio, Francesco
AU - Dicpinigaitis, Peter V.
AU - Rubin, Bruce K.
AU - De Danieli, Gianluca
AU - Lanata, Luigi
AU - Zanasi, Alessando
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by Dompé spa through an unrestricted grant. F. De Blasio, P.V. Dicpinigaitis, B.K. Rubin and A. Zanasi are members of an International Advisory Board supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Dompé spa. G. De Danieli and L. Lanata are employees of Dompé spa, Medical Department. Dompé spa is a company that manufactures and commercializes levodropropizine.
PY - 2012/1/23
Y1 - 2012/1/23
N2 - Background: Cough is one of the most frequent symptoms in children and is the most common symptom for which children visit a health care provider.Methods: This is an observational study on acute cough associated with upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) in children. The study evaluates the epidemiology and impact of cough on quality of sleep and children's activities, and the outcome of cough with antitussive treatments in pediatric routine clinical practice. Study assessments were performed through a pediatric cough questionnaire (PCQ), developed by the Italian Society of Cough Study. A total of 433 children visited by family care pediatricians for acute cough due to a URTI were enrolled in this study, with mean age of 6.1 years (SD 3.6). Cough type, duration, severity and frequency, cough impact on sleep disturbances of children and parents and on school and sport activities were assessed at baseline. In a subset of 241 children who were either treated with antitussive drugs (levodropropizine n = 101, central antitussives n = 60) or received no treatment (n = 80), the outcome of cough after 6 days was analyzed in terms of resolution, improvement, no change, or worsening. Descriptive analysis, χ 2 test, and multivariate analysis with stepwise logistic regression were performed.Results: Cough disturbed sleep in 88% of children and 72% of parents. In children treated with cough suppressants, the duration, type, intensity, and frequency cough were similar at baseline in the two groups respectively treated with levodropropizine and central antitussives (cloperastine and codeine). Both levodropropizine and central drugs reduced cough intensity and frequency. However, percentage of cough resolution was higher with levodropropizine than with central antitussives (47% vs. 28% respectively, p = 0.0012).Conclusions: Acute cough disturbs sleep in most children and their parents. Both levodropropizine and central antitussives reduced cough intensity, with levodropropizine producing a higher cough resolution rate.
AB - Background: Cough is one of the most frequent symptoms in children and is the most common symptom for which children visit a health care provider.Methods: This is an observational study on acute cough associated with upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) in children. The study evaluates the epidemiology and impact of cough on quality of sleep and children's activities, and the outcome of cough with antitussive treatments in pediatric routine clinical practice. Study assessments were performed through a pediatric cough questionnaire (PCQ), developed by the Italian Society of Cough Study. A total of 433 children visited by family care pediatricians for acute cough due to a URTI were enrolled in this study, with mean age of 6.1 years (SD 3.6). Cough type, duration, severity and frequency, cough impact on sleep disturbances of children and parents and on school and sport activities were assessed at baseline. In a subset of 241 children who were either treated with antitussive drugs (levodropropizine n = 101, central antitussives n = 60) or received no treatment (n = 80), the outcome of cough after 6 days was analyzed in terms of resolution, improvement, no change, or worsening. Descriptive analysis, χ 2 test, and multivariate analysis with stepwise logistic regression were performed.Results: Cough disturbed sleep in 88% of children and 72% of parents. In children treated with cough suppressants, the duration, type, intensity, and frequency cough were similar at baseline in the two groups respectively treated with levodropropizine and central antitussives (cloperastine and codeine). Both levodropropizine and central drugs reduced cough intensity and frequency. However, percentage of cough resolution was higher with levodropropizine than with central antitussives (47% vs. 28% respectively, p = 0.0012).Conclusions: Acute cough disturbs sleep in most children and their parents. Both levodropropizine and central antitussives reduced cough intensity, with levodropropizine producing a higher cough resolution rate.
KW - Antitussive
KW - Children
KW - Cloperastine
KW - Codeine
KW - Cough
KW - Levodropropizine
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U2 - 10.1186/1745-9974-8-1
DO - 10.1186/1745-9974-8-1
M3 - Article
C2 - 22269875
AN - SCOPUS:84856054267
SN - 1745-9974
VL - 8
JO - Cough
JF - Cough
IS - 1
M1 - 1
ER -