Understanding physician’s knowledge and perception of chronic cough in Switzerland

Figures & data

Table 1. Response and background characteristics.

Background characteristics	Pulmonologists (N = 33)		GPs (N = 52)		Total (N = 85)
	N	%	N	%	N	%
Region
German-speaking region of Switzerland	27	81.2%	32	61.5%	59	69.4%
French-speaking region of Switzerland	6	18.2%	20	38.5%	26	30.6%
Sex
Male	26	78.8%	30	57.7%	56	65.9%
Female	7	21.2%	22	42.3%	29	34.1%
Years in Practice
5–10 years	17	51.5%	17	32.7%	34	40.0%
11−20 years	10	30.3%	25	48.1%	35	41.2%
21−35 years	6	18.2%	10	19.2%	16	18.8%
Practice setting
University hospital / Cantonal hospital / Regional hospital	16	48.5%			16	18.8%
Private practice in hospital setting	9	27.3%			9	10.6%
Office / Private practice	8	24.2%	52	100%	60	70.6%

Table 2. Frequency of underlying diseases in patients with CC.

	Pulmonologists (N = 33)		GPs (N = 52)		Total (N = 85)
Questionnaire Item – sometimes/often	N	%	N	%	N	%
Patients with COPD as underlying disease	31	93.9%	49	94.2%	80	94.1%
Smokers with or without underlying disease	33	100.0%	49	94.2%	82	96.5%
Patients with asthma as underlying disease	33	100.0%	49	94.2%	82	96.5%
Patients with rhinosinusitis/postnasal drip as underlying disease	33	100.0%	45	86.5%	78	91.8%
Patients with gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) as underlying disease	29	87.9%	45	86.5%	74	87.1%
Patients under treatment with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors)	10	30.3%	32	61.5%	42	49.4%
Patients with nervous / psychological disorders	19	57.6%	28	53.8%	47	55.3%
Patients with lung parenchymal or interstitial diseases	12	36.4%	20	38.5%	32	37.6%
Patients without underlying pathology, meaning patients where no underlying condition has been found despite thorough testing, and where the cough is persistent	18	54.5%	19	36.5%	37	43.5%
Patients with lung cancer	13	39.4%	9	17.3%	22	25.9%
Patients with eosinophilic bronchitis as underlying disease	7	21.2%	11	21.2%	18	21.2%

Answers sometimes or often given to question “Please think about the patients with chronic cough that you see and treat in your practice: From your personal experience, please indicate how frequently these patients suffer from any of the following underlying conditions – if any?.”

Table 3. Physicians’ definition of “chronic cough.”

	Pulmonologists (N = 33)		GPs (N = 52)		Total (N = 85)
Questionnaire Item	N	%	N	%	N	%
When the cough lasts more than 4 weeks	2	6.1%	14	26.9%	16	18.8%
When the cough lasts more than 8 weeks	24	72.7%	20	38.5%	44	51.8%
When the cough lasts more than 3 months	5	15.2%	16	30.8%	21	24.7%
I do not usually have an established criterion	1	3.0%	1	1.9%	2	2.4%
I do not use the diagnosis term “chronic cough”	1	3.0%	1	1.9%	2	2.4%

Answers to question “When do you use the diagnosis term ‘chronic cough’ in a patient with a cough?.”

Table 4. Terms used for CC patients where cough is persistent even after treatment of a potential underlying cause.

	GPs (n = 52)				Pulmonologists (n = 33)
	Yes		No		Yes		No
	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
Chronic Persistent Cough (CPC)	36	69%	16	31%	15	45%	18	55%
Idiopathic Cough	27	52%	25	48%	7	21%	26	79%
Refractory Chronic Cough (RCC)	25	48%	27	52%	18	55%	15	45%
Unexplained Chronic Cough (UCC)	21	40%	31	60%	7	21%	26	79%
Cough Hypersensitivity syndrome (CHS)	17	33%	35	67%	15	45%	18	55%

Table 5. Terms used for CC patients where no underlying condition has been found, despite thorough investigation (UCC).

	GPs (n = 52)				Pulmonologists (n = 33)
	Yes		No		Yes		No
	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
Chronic Persistent Cough (CPC)	32	62%	20	38%	11	33%	22	67%
Idiopathic Cough	32	62%	20	38%	8	24%	25	76%
Refractory Chronic Cough (RCC)	17	33%	35	67%	9	27%	24	73%
Unexplained Chronic Cough (UCC)	29	56%	23	44%	19	58%	14	42%
Cough Hypersensitivity syndrome (CHS)	20	38%	32	62%	16	48%	17	52%

Figure 1. Tests performed (often and very often) in case of chronic cough symptoms.

Figure 2. Treatments prescribed (often and very often) for chronic cough not related to any underlying condition.

Table 6. Estimated number of new patients with RCC and UCC in Switzerland. Detailed factors used for the estimation of incidence of RCC and UCC.

	Number or percentage
1. Thinking about a typical month, please estimate how many patients with chronic cough (cough lasting more than 8 weeks) you see on a monthly basis? (Question 4 in online survey)	32.0
2. What share of your CC patients are new? (Question 4a in online survey)	54.0%
3. Estimated number of new patients with CC per year per pulmonologist (= 1. × 2. × 12 months)	207.36
4. Estimated total number of new patients with CC Switzerland (= 3. × 338 pulmonologists in Switzerland)	70,088
5. Share of CC patients that develop persistent cough (RCC and UCC) (Question 07 in online survey)	13.3%
6. Annual estimated number of new patients with persistent cough in the sense of RCC and UCC (= 4. × 5.)	9322

Data availability statement

The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.