Incidence and risk factor for short term postoperative cough after thyroidectomy

Area of Science:

• Otorhinolaryngology
• Surgical Oncology
• Pulmonology

Background:

• Postoperative cough after thyroidectomy is a common concern.
• Risk factors for this condition are not well understood.
• This study prospectively investigated cough prevalence and related factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of postoperative cough after thyroidectomy.
• To identify risk factors associated with postoperative cough.
• To assess the impact of cough on quality of life using the Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ).

Main Methods:

• Prospective enrollment of 1264 adult patients undergoing primary thyroid surgery.
• Collection of data on patient demographics, pathology, and surgical details.
• Administration of the Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ) preoperatively and at 2 and 4 weeks postoperatively.

Main Results:

• Postoperative cough prevalence was 17.0% in benign cases and 33.1% in malignant cases (p < 0.001).
• Smoking and operation time were significant predictors for cough in both benign and malignant groups.
• Malignant disease patients reported lower LCQ scores at 2 weeks postoperatively compared to benign cases.

Conclusions:

• Thyroid cancer surgery is associated with a higher incidence of postoperative cough and reduced cough-related quality of life.
• Smoking and prolonged operation time are critical predictors of postoperative cough.
• Understanding these factors can help in managing and potentially preventing postoperative cough.