[Perceptions of family doctors, pulmonologists and allergists on the approach to patients with chronic cough. Results of an anonymous survey]. / Percepciones de médicos de familia, neumólogos y alergólogos sobre el abordaje de los pacientes con tos crónica. Resultados de una encuesta anónima.

OBJECTIVE: To understand the perception of family doctors, pulmonologists and allergists about the current approach to chronic cough and its impact on patients' quality of life. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cross-sectional and anonymous survey disseminated through the scientific societies SEAIC, SEMERGEN, semFYC, SEMG and SEPAR. The participants were 620 family doctors, 92 pulmonologists and 62 allergists. A descriptive analysis of the answers was conducted. Response percentages, medians and interquartile intervals were presented. The differences in the percentages between specialties were evaluated with the chi-square. RESULTS: Only half of the respondents chose a duration greater than 8 weeks as a criterion for diagnosing chronic cough, and less than half considered refractory/unexplained chronic cough a disease in itself. Family doctors perceived that chronic cough had less impact on patients than did pulmonologists or allergists. After a diagnosis of refractory/unexplained chronic cough, all 3specialties considered the most common approach to be to initiate treatment and to do the follow-up of the patient themselves. Most stated that they had no protocols for managing chronic cough, and more than 90% considered these to be necessary. CONCLUSIONS: The management of patients with chronic cough by family doctors, pulmonologists or allergists seems to be heterogeneous. There is a need for protocols that standardise diagnosis, referral and treatment criteria to optimise patients' management and reduce the impact of chronic cough.