Chronic cough in adolescents and respiratory symptoms in adults

: The object of this work was to study the relationship between chronic cough in adolescence, and chronic symptoms and airflow obstruction in adults. The data were collected between 1982 and 1984 from 1807 men and women living in Bordeaux (France) and its surrounds. A self administered questionnaire was used which focused on current respiratory symptoms and respiratory symptoms during adolescence. Spirometric curves (FVC, FEV1 and FEF 25-75) were measured. The population was evenly split between men (mean age 40.1) and women (mean age 38.6). Most subjects were French; more than half were non smokers; all socioprofessional categories were represented except farmers, craftsmen and merchants. The proportion of subjects with current respiratory symptoms was 2 to 10 times higher amongst subjects with respiratory symptoms during their adolescence than in those who had none. The relationships were highly significant and remained so after adjustments for the confounding factors following: sex, age, nationality, socio-economic status, smoking habits, occupational exposure and previous occupational disease. Mean spirometric values were higher amongst subjects without chronic cough during their adolescence than those who had cough. Differences were significant for FVC, FEV1, FEF 25-75 in women and were on the borderline for FEF 25-75 in men. This study showed that respiratory conditions in adolescence represent an important risk factor for chronic symptoms and airflow obstruction in adult life.