Analysis of aetiological factors of chronic cough syndrome in military personnel during during hostilities

Abstract

Abstract. The article presents the main clinical manifestations of caught syndrome in military personnel during hostilities. The purpose of the work was to determine the leading causes of chronic cough syndrome in military personnel during hostilities.

Material and methods. In order to solve the set goal, 72 male patients who consulted a pulmonologist regarding chronic cough were examined. The average age of the patients was (42.6±2.5) years, all patients were undergoing examination and inpatient treatment in the clinics of the National Military Medical Clinical Hospital «Main Military Clinical Hospital» of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. All patients were divided into three groups: the 1st group consisted of 29 patients whose cough was caused by broncho-obstructive pathology (upon further detailed examination, a diagnosis of bronchial asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was established), the 2nd group included 24 patients whose cough was caused by gastroesophageal reflex disease, and the 3rd group consisted of 19 patients with postnasal drip syndrome.
Results and discussion. In military personnel with broncho-obstructive diseases, the first symptoms of cough syndrome appeared after being in a combat zone, as a result of contact with fuel combustion products, or when staying in rooms with moist, cold air. When conducting a study of external breathing indicators, the reversibility of bronchial obstruction was found in 12 patients (41.4%), which confirmed the diagnosis of BA. At the same time, in 7 patients (29.2%) a provocative test was used to verify the diagnosis. Examinees from the second group, in addition to attacks of dry cough, complained of hoarseness of voice in 10 patients (41.7%), a feeling of fullness in the stomach – in 15 people (62.5%). During endoscopic examination, erosive form of GERD type B, C (LA) was detected in 23 people.
In patients of group 3, the cough syndrome occurred against the background of signs of postnasal congestion, while the feeling of constant overflow of mucus in the nasopharynx bothered 100% of people. It should be especially noted that 6 patients (20.7%) from the first group with a primary diagnosis of BA had GERD symptoms.

Conclusions. Chronic cough syndrome is often found in general therapeutic practice, its main causes in almost equal proportions are broncho-pulmonary pathology with bronchoobstructive syndrome (in 40.3% of cases), gastrointestinal tract pathology (GERD) (in 33.3% of cases) and postnasal drip syndrome (26.4% of cases). The leading causes of chronic cough syndrome in patients with bronchopulmonary pathology are BA and COPD. GERD was detected in 20.7% of patients with BA, which indicates the polyetiological nature of the cough syndrome.