Influence of lung function on course of disease and response to antibiotic therapy in adult primary care patients with acute cough: a post hoc analysis of patients enrolled in a prospective multicentre study

Impaired lung function does not significantly affect the course of acute coughing episodes nor response to antibiotics. An international study led by Nicole van Erp at the University Medical Centre Utrecht, The Netherlands, examined the influence of decreased lung function due to conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on the resolution of coughing episodes lasting less than three weeks in 2,427 adult patients. Such episodes are normally associated with mild lower respiratory tract infections and were thought to be worse in patients with underlying lung disease. Symptom severity increased moderately 2–4 days after initial consultation in patients with severe airway obstruction or who were using inhaled corticosteroids. However, after 4 weeks, there were no significant differences in the recovery and response to antibiotics between patients with lung function abnormalities and those without.