OBJECTIVE Chronic cough can be caused by allergy or chronic infection, and it’s difficult to distinguish because sometimes could be overlapped each other. Chronic cough is major complaint of most of referral patient in pediatric allergy immunology clinic of Dr Soetomo Hospital. The objective of this study was to describe characteristic of cough from patient in allergic-immunology outpatient clinic
METHOD This is a descriptive – cross sectional study, conducted in children referred to pediatric allergic-immunology outpatient clinic, with chief complain of cough, since October 2018 – March 2019. Demographic data assessed from medical records. Cough characteristics were evaluated by parents report. Analyzed data reported as frequency
RESULT Total of 72 patients with chief complain cough, 72% subjects were boy. Initial diagnosis revealed 76% with asthma, other 23% were diagnosed as allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, recurrent otitis media, and tuberculosis. Cough had manifest in 5.5(1-48) month before referred to our institution in all subjects. History of allergy in family include 34% mother, 28% father, and 11% from both parents. More than half cough accompanied with runny nose, and happened intermittently which 73% got heavier in the night or early morning and 59% produce sputum. Only 31% were accompanied with fever 31% had dyspnea and wheezing. In this study, 32% also did examination for possibility of tuberculosis infection and half of them had got tuberculosis drugs consumption before referred but still with unsatisfying clinical condition. Skin Prick Test (SPT) result revealed 81%. subject with house dust mite allergy as single or combination with other allergy.
CONCLUSION Chronic cough is the major chief complain of referral patient in our clinic. Most Most of patient have a history of allergy in family, cough manifest especially in the night and early morning, and related with house dust mite allergy. Tuberculosis infection should be considered in patient with chronic cough.