CONTEXT

International Classification of Diseases-9/10 codes for chronic cough (CC) do not exist, limiting investigation.

OBJECTIVE

To develop a computerized algorithm to determine CC prevalence and its characteristics.

DESIGN

This observational study using administrative data identified hierarchically patients aged 18 to 85 years with CC from 2013 to 2016. First, a specialist-diagnosed CC group was identified using an internal CC encounter code during an outpatient visit to a pulmonologist, allergist, otolaryngologist, or gastroenterologist. Subsequently, an event-diagnosed CC group was identified based on clinical notes through natural language processing, ICD-9/ICD-10 cough codes, and dispensed antitussives.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Prevalence of CC and comparison of clinical characteristics between specialist-diagnosed and event-diagnosed CC subgroups.

RESULTS

A total of 50,163 patients with CC of more than 8 weeks were identified. Of these, 11,290 (22.5%) were specialist diagnosed, and 38,873 (77.5%) were event diagnosed. The CC cohort was 57.4 ± 16.5 years of age; 67.6% were female. The overall prevalence was 1.04% (95% confidence interval = 1.03-1.06) in 2016. Prevalence in 2016 was higher in female patients (1.21%) than in male patients (0.81%), higher in patients aged 65 to 85 years (2.2%) than in patients aged 18 to 44 years (0.43%), and higher in Blacks (1.38%) than in Whites (1.21%). Compared with patients with event-diagnosed CC, patients with specialist-diagnosed CC exhibited significantly higher frequencies of laboratory tests and respiratory and nonrespiratory comorbidities and dispensed medication and lower frequency of pneumonia, all-cause and respiratory-cause emergency department visits and hospitalizations, and dispensed antitussives.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified a CC cohort using electronic data in a managed care organization. Prevalences varied by sex, age, and ethnicity. Clinical characteristics varied between specialist-diagnosed and event-diagnosed CC.