Burden and emergency department management of acute cough in children.

AIM: In children presenting to an emergency department (ED) with an acute coughing illness, the aims of this study were to: (i) describe the frequency of doctor visits and medication use; and (ii) describe management and relate it to current evidence-based guidelines. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study in ED of a major teaching hospital (Royal Children's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia). Participants included 537 children (<15 years) presenting with acute (<2 weeks) cough, with a median age of 2.2 years (interquartile range 1.0-4.0); 61.5% were boys. Hospitalised children and those with asthma, pneumonia or chronic illnesses were excluded. Main outcome measures were: (i) frequency of pre-ED doctor visits and medication use; and (ii) comparison of management to current evidence-based recommendations related to four discharge diagnoses: bronchiolitis, 'wheeze/reactive airway disease (RAD)', croup and 'non-specific acute respiratory illness'. RESULTS: A total of 300 children (55.9%) had seen a doctor prior to their ED presentation, and use of medications pre-ED was high (53.4%). While 93.4% of children with croup were treated in accordance with guidelines, concordance was lower for children with bronchiolitis or 'wheeze/RAD'. The majority of children with a discharge diagnosis of 'wheeze/RAD' (95.6%) received bronchodilators, and 72.7% also received oral corticosteroids but were not diagnosed with asthma. More than half (55.1%) of the children with non-specific acute respiratory illness received medication(s) either prior to or during their ED presentation. CONCLUSIONS: The burden of acute cough-related illnesses in children is high, and there is a need for improved uptake of evidence-based guidelines. In addition, the large number of children diagnosed with 'wheeze/RAD' suggests asthma is likely under-diagnosed in this setting.

Longitudinal study of quality of life among children with acute respiratory infection and cough.

PURPOSE: Acute respiratory infections (ARIs), and associated symptoms such as cough, are frequently experienced among children and impose a burden on families (e.g., use of medical resources and time off work/school). However, there are little data on changes in, and predictors of, quality of life (QoL) over the duration of an ARI with cough (ARIwC) episode. We therefore aimed to determine cough-specific QoL and identify its influencing factors among children with ARIwC, at the time of presentation to a pediatric emergency department (ED), and over the following 4 weeks. METHODS: Data from 283 children aged < 15 years were included in our analyses. We used the validated parent-proxy children's acute cough-specific QoL questionnaire (PAC-QoL) at each time-point. Linear regression and mixed effect modeling were used to identify factors influencing QoL at baseline and over the follow-up period. RESULTS: Median PAC-QoL at baseline was 2.7 (IQR 2.1-3.6) and significantly improved by Day-7 (4.9, IQR 3.8-6.1) and Day-14 (6.59, IQR 5.1-7.0), both p < 0.001. The improvements in median PAC-QoL between Days-14, -21, and -28 were not significant. Regression modeling identified that day-cough severity, night-cough severity, and financial concerns had the highest impact on both baseline, and follow-up, PAC-QoL scores. There were five additional independent significant factors at baseline and six at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Quality of life is considerably impaired at presentation to ED, but improves significantly by Days-7 and -14. As cough severity and financial concerns had the highest impact on QoL, effectively managing cough to reduce the clinical and financial burden on children and families is important.

The development of chronic cough in children following presentation to a tertiary paediatric emergency department with acute respiratory illness: study protocol for a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Acute respiratory illness, a leading cause of cough in children, accounts for a substantial proportion of childhood morbidity and mortality worldwide. In some children acute cough progresses to chronic cough (>4 weeks duration), impacting on morbidity and decreasing quality of life. Despite the importance of chronic cough as a cause of substantial childhood morbidity and associated economic, family and social costs, data on the prevalence, predictors, aetiology and natural history of the symptom are scarce. This study aims to comprehensively describe the epidemiology, aetiology and outcomes of cough during and after acute respiratory illness in children presenting to a tertiary paediatric emergency department. METHODS/DESIGN: A prospective cohort study of children aged <15 years attending the Royal Children's Hospital Emergency Department, Brisbane, for a respiratory illness that includes parent reported cough (wet or dry) as a symptom. The primary objective is to determine the prevalence and predictors of chronic cough (≥4 weeks duration) post presentation with acute respiratory illness. Demographic, epidemiological, risk factor, microbiological and clinical data are completed at enrolment. Subjects complete daily cough dairies and weekly follow-up contacts for 28(±3) days to ascertain cough persistence. Children who continue to cough for 28 days post enrolment are referred to a paediatric respiratory physician for review. Primary analysis will be the proportion of children with persistent cough at day 28(±3). Multivariate analyses will be performed to evaluate variables independently associated with chronic cough at day 28(±3). DISCUSSION: Our protocol will be the first to comprehensively describe the natural history, epidemiology, aetiology and outcomes of cough during and after acute respiratory illness in children. The results will contribute to studies leading to the development of evidence-based clinical guidelines to improve the early detection and management of chronic cough in children during and after acute respiratory illness.

Chronic cough postacute respiratory illness in children: a cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Data on the aetiology of persistent cough at the transitional stage from subacute to chronic cough (>4 weeks duration) are scarce. We aimed to (1) identify the prevalence of chronic cough following acute respiratory illness (ARI) and (2) determine the diagnostic outcomes of children with chronic cough. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: A paediatric emergency department (ED) in Brisbane, Australia. PATIENTS: Children aged <15 years presenting with an ARI with cough. INTERVENTIONS: Children were followed weekly for 28 days;those with a persistent cough at day 28 were reviewed by a paediatric pulmonologist. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cough persistence at day 28 and pulmonologist diagnosis. RESULTS: 2586 children were screened and 776 (30%) were ineligible; 839 children (median age=2.3 years, range=0.5 months to 14.7 years, 60% male) were enrolled over 2 years. Most children (n=627, 74.8%) had cough duration of <7 days at enrolment. At day 28, 171/839 (20.4%, 95% CI 17.7 to 23.1) children had persistent cough irrespective of cough duration at enrolment. The cough was wet in 59/171 (34.5%), dry in 45/171 (26.4%) and variable in 28/171 (16.1%). Of these 117 children , 117 (68.4%) were reviewed by a paediatric pulmonologist. A new and serious chronic lung disease was diagnosed in 36/117 (30.8%) children; 55/117 (47.0%) were diagnosed with protracted bacterial bronchitis. CONCLUSIONS: When chronic cough develops post-ARI, clinical review is warranted, particularly if parents report a history of prolonged or recurrent cough. Parents of children presenting acutely to ED with cough should be counselled about the development of chronic cough, as an underlying respiratory condition is not uncommon.