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Cough is the most common symptom leading to medical consultation. Chronic cough results in significant health care costs, impairs quality of life, and may indicate the presence of a serious underlying condition. Here, we present a summary of an updated position statement on cough management in the clinical consultation.
Sputum induction is widely used in clinical settings for collection of biological samples from the lower airways. However, in recent years sputum induction has been associated with serious adverse events and even death. This position statement was commissioned by the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand to address major adverse events of two deaths associated with sputum induction that have occurred in Australia in 2021, and outlines best practice for the safe use of sputum induction.
Bronchiectasis, particularly in children, is an increasingly recognised yet neglected chronic lung disorder affecting individuals in both low-to-middle and high-income countries. It has a high disease burden and there is substantial inequity within and between settings. Furthermore, compared with other chronic lung diseases, considerably fewer resources are available for children with bronchiectasis.
Bronchiectasis is a worldwide chronic lung disorder where exacerbations are common. It affects people of all ages, but especially Indigenous populations in high-income nations. Despite being a major contributor to chronic lung disease, there are no licensed therapies for bronchiectasis and there remain relatively few randomised controlled trials (RCTs) conducted in children and adults.
In children, chronic wet cough may be a sign of underlying lung disease, including protracted bacterial bronchitis (PBB) and bronchiectasis. Chronic (> 4 weeks in duration) wet cough (without indicators pointing to alternative causes) that responds to antibiotic treatment is diagnostic of PBB. Timely recognition and management of PBB can prevent disease progression to irreversible bronchiectasis with lifelong consequences. However, detection and management require timely health-seeking by carers and effective management by clinicians.
Survival statistics, estimated using data from national cystic fibrosis (CF) registries, inform the CF community and monitor disease progression. This study aimed to estimate survival among people with CF in Australia and to identify factors associated with survival.
In partnership with Aboriginal health services, Government agencies and communities, we will develop and implement evidence-based strategies to improve the detection and management of chronic wet cough in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
André Schultz MBChB, PhD, FRACP Head, BREATH Team Head, BREATH Team Prof André Schultz is the Head, BREATH Team at The Kids Research Institute
Inviting expressions of interest for the INSPIRE Consumer Reference Group (CRG) of WA – a group for the Aboriginal Children’s Excellent (ACE) Lung Health studies.
Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare, progressive, inherited ciliopathic disorder, which is incurable and frequently complicated by the development of bronchiectasis. There are few randomised controlled trials (RCTs) involving children and adults with PCD and thus evidence of efficacy for interventions are usually extrapolated from people with cystic fibrosis.