Factors influencing the development of chronic cough following common cold

Introduction: Following common cold most of the patients recover within a week. However a few people go on to develop chronic cough. There have been no studies looking at simple patient characteristics which may tell us which patients may go on to develop chronic cough. Materials and method: The main Aim was to study factors that determine which group of patients develop chronic cough following common cold. A total of 131 patients were included in the study. They were followed up for 3 weeks. They were divided into 2 groups based on whether they had cough for more than 3 weeks and less than 3 weeks. The collected data was analyzed using Chi square test. Results: Among 131 individuals who underwent study 45 had chronic cough. Age group less than 20 yrs and more than 60 years, smoking history and a low PEFR (Peak Expiratory flow rate) were associated with development of chronic cough. Conclusion: Extremes of age, smoking history and low PEFR were associated with the development of chronic cough following common cold.