Managements of chronic cough in general medicine and requirements of general practitioners

Chronic cough represents a persistent dilemma, for general practitioner (GP), inducing a lot of medical investigations. Few data are available about French GP practice and their expectancy from cough specialists. We studied management in primary care and impressions of GP of patients with chronic cough. Thirty-four patients were studied. They were mostly women, mean age was above 50 years-old, and the waste majority of patients were non-smokers. Half-time, the symptom was persistent (more than 6 months), had promoted numerous medical consultations (more than five). Drugs were prescribed since the first visit for the majority of patients, principally cough-sedation drugs, steroids and bronchodilatators. A chest radiography was realized in almost all patients. Advices were asked (with a decreasing frequency) to physicians specialized in: ear-nose-throat or respiratory, gastroenterology, allergy, or cardiology. The majority of patients were satisfied of their GP, despite persistent symptoms. From the point of the GP, chronic cough remains a relentless dilemma. Their main purpose, when they addressed their patient to a specialized physician, was to obtain an etiologic diagnosis. When they were asked "which tool will be more adequate for you in the next future?", the preferred response was "a simple etiologic algorithm". Despite persistent symptoms, inducing furthers medical consultations, the main ask from GP was to promote a simple etiologic algorithm. (C) 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.