To Explore The Spectrum And Frequency Of Causes For Chronic Cough And Discuss The Syndrome Of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) In Patients With Chronic Cough Using Cluster Analysis.

Objective:(1)To explore the spectrum and frequency of causes for patients with chronic cough in which the causes were unidentified.(2) To clarify the distributive characteristics of the syndrome of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) in patients with chronic cough using the methods of descriptive statistic and cluster analysis.(3) To discuss the correlation between the characteristics of TCM syndrome and the common causes of chronic cough.Methods:Patients with chronic cough were enrolled.The causes were investigated using anatomic diagnostic protocol combined with differential cells count of induced sputum.The clinical information form of TCM syndrome was set up and the four examination techniques database was established according to the research purpose and the investigated results of literature references.The mathematic statistic methods (the cluster analysis etc) of the spss11.5 software were used to investigate distributive characteristics of TCM syndrome in patients with chronic cough.Results:A total of 188 patients(Male/Female:75/113,age((?)±s):41.42±13.40 years) were assessed.The duration of cough(medium(range) ) was 12(2-240) months.The causes of chronic cough were defined in 184(97.9%) of the patients, with a single cause found in 177 patients(94.1%),and dual causes found in 7 patients (3.8%).4 patients were undiagnosed(2.1%).The common causes of cough were: cough variant asthma(CVA,n=54,27.7%),Upper airway cough syndrome(UACS, n=52,26.7%),eosinophilic bronchitis(EB,n=20,10.3%),gastroesophageal reflux related cough(GERC,n=16,8.2%),acute bronchitis(n =14,7.2%),postinfectious cough(PIC,n=14,7.2%).25 cases(12.7%) were miscellenious diagnosis.The four examination techniques database of TCM syndrome in 188 patients with chronic cough were classified as five TCM syndromes using the Hierarchical cluster analysis.The five TCM syndromes were:syndrome of pulmonary qi deficiency and wind cold attacking lung,syndrome of phlegmatic-heat accumulating in lung,syndrome of phlegmatic dampness retention in lung,Yin asthenia and lung dryness syndrome, syndrome of incoordination between liver and stomach plus liver fire invading lung.Conclusion:The study indicated that CVA,UACS,EB and GERC were the common causes of chronic cough.We could objectively and scientifically reflect the characteristics of TCM syndrome of chronic cough using the methods of clinical epidemiology and mathematic statistics of cluster analysis.It will provide the objective evidence for the treatment with traditional Chinese medicine.