Abstract:

Objective To analyze the effects of asthma and desensitization on postinfectious cough (PIC). Methods This was a retrospective analysis involving 417 eligible PIC patients who visited the respiratory outdepartment from March 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024. Patients with the underlying disease of asthma were included into the experimental group (66 cases), and those without underlying disease were included into the control group (351 cases). Patients in the experimental group were subdivided into the desensitization therapy group (14 cases), and general treatment group (without desensitization therapy, 52 cases). Patients in the experimental group received anti-cough, anti-asthma therapy, and those in the control group received symptomatic anti-cough treatment. The course and severity of cough, and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) levels among the experimental group versus control group, and desensitization therapy group versus general treatment group were compared. Results A total of 417 patients were included in the study, including 180 males with an average age of (39.26±14.67) years and 237 females with an average age of (40.41±14.33) years. There were 66 patients in the experimental group and 351 in the control group. FeNO and the severity of cough in the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the control group (P<0.05). The severity of cough in the desensitization therapy group was significantly lower than that of the general treatment group (P=0.000). Conclusion Asthma increases cough severity and FeNO in PIC patients, and desensitization helps to reduce cough severity.

Key words: asthma, cough, desensitization, immunologic, fractional exhaled nitric oxide