PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Woo-Jung Song
AU  - Lieven Dupont
AU  - Surinder S. Birring
AU  - Kian Fan Chung
AU  - Marta Dąbrowska
AU  - Peter Dicpinigaitis
AU  - Christian Domingo Ribas
AU  - Giovanni Fontana
AU  - Peter G. Gibson
AU  - Laurent Guilleminault
AU  - James H. Hull
AU  - Marco Idzko
AU  - Peter Kardos
AU  - Hyun Jung Kim
AU  - Kefang Lai
AU  - Federico Lavorini
AU  - Eva Millqvist
AU  - Alyn H. Morice
AU  - Akio Niimi
AU  - Sean M. Parker
AU  - Imran Satia
AU  - Jaclyn A. Smith
AU  - Jan Willem van den Berg
AU  - Lorcan P. McGarvey
ED  - ,
TI  - Consensus goals and standards for specialist cough clinics: the NEUROCOUGH international Delphi study
AID  - 10.1183/23120541.00618-2023
DP  - 2023 Nov 01
TA  - ERJ Open Research
PG  - 00618-2023
VI  - 9
IP  - 6
4099  - http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/9/6/00618-2023.short
4100  - http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/9/6/00618-2023.full
SO  - erjor2023 Nov 01; 9
AB  - Background Current guidelines on the management of chronic cough do not provide recommendations for the operation of specialist cough clinics. The objective of the present study was to develop expert consensus on goals and standard procedures for specialist cough clinics.Methods We undertook a modified Delphi process, whereby initial statements proposed by experts were categorised and presented back to panellists over two ranking rounds using an 11-point Likert scale to identify consensus.Results An international panel of 57 experts from 19 countries participated, with consensus reached on 15 out of 16 statements, covering the aims, roles and standard procedures of specialist cough clinics. Panellists agreed that specialist cough clinics offer optimal care for patients with chronic cough. They also agreed that history taking should enquire as to cough triggers, cough severity rating scales should be routinely used, and a minimum of chest radiography, spirometry and measurements of type 2 inflammatory markers should be undertaken in newly referred patients. The importance of specialist cough clinics in promoting clinical research and cough specialty training was acknowledged. Variability in healthcare resources and clinical needs between geographical regions was noted.Conclusions The Delphi exercise provides a platform and guidance for both established cough clinics and those in planning stages.A Delphi exercise undertaken to provide expert consensus on goals and standard procedures for establishing and delivering a specialist cough clinic service https://bit.ly/3Qopt6z