{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,12]],"date-time":"2026-03-12T17:50:43Z","timestamp":1773337843727,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":29,"publisher":"PeerJ","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,11]],"date-time":"2024-12-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1733875200000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100014358","name":"Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["XKTJ-XK202007"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["XKTJ-XK202007"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100014358","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100018556","name":"Science and Technology Program of Suzhou","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["SKY2021006"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["SKY2021006"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100018556","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n<jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Limited research exists on the features and management of post-COVID cough. This real-world study investigates outpatients with subacute or chronic post-COVID cough, aiming to delineate characteristics and regimen responses within the population.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec>\n<jats:title>Method<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>We enrolled eligible patients from our outpatient unit between August 2023 and February 2024. Comprehensive clinical data, prescriptions, and patient-reported cough severity were collected during the primary visit and subsequent follow-ups.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec>\n<jats:title>Result<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>A total of 141 patients, aged: 42 \u00b1 14 years old, were included, with 70% being female. The median cough duration was 8 weeks (interquartile range 4\u201312 weeks). Sixty percent presented with a dry cough, while the rest had coughs with phlegm. Over half reported abnormal laryngeal sensations (54%). Twenty-one percent coughed during the day, while 32% coughed constantly, and 48% experienced nocturnal episodes. Compound methoxyphenamine capsules were the most prescribed, but our study found ICS\/LABA to be the most effective, followed by compound methoxyphenamine capsules, montelukast, and Chinese patent drugs.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec>\n<jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Females exhibit a higher prevalence of post-COVID cough, and our study recommends ICS\/LABA as the preferred treatment. These findings warrant validation through larger, prospectively designed studies.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.7717\/peerj.18705","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,11]],"date-time":"2024-12-11T09:05:33Z","timestamp":1733907933000},"page":"e18705","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Characterization and clinical outcomes of outpatients with subacute or chronic post COVID-19 cough: a real-world 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