Abstract:

Cough variant asthma(CVA) in children is a common chronic cough disorder in pediatric period, which is classified under the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) categories of "cough" and "wind-cough". Characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness, this condition features prolonged duration and recurrent episodes, significantly impacting patients' quality of life. While in modern medical treatments, inhaled corticosteroids are used to control symptoms, they face limitations such as poor patient compliance and frequent relapses. Based on the TCM theory of "liver ascending and lung descending", this study systematically explores the pathogenesis and therapeutic approaches of CVA. The liver governs ascending functions while the lung regulates descending functions, and they jointly control the ascending and descending of qi flow. In children, there exists "liver excess and lung deficiency", which brings about liver qi stagnation transforming into fire and invading the lungs, or impaired lung function leading to abnormal qi descending, and all these ultimately result in cough. Pathological evolution involves multiple states, including liver dysfunction, hyperactive liver fire, upward disturbance of liver yang, and liver yin deficiency. Treatment focuses on restoring the dynamic balance of "liver ascending and lung descending", employing methods such as regulating liver and smoothing qi, reducing liver fire, calming liver and suppressing wind, and softening liver and nourishing yin. These approaches are used to harmonize qi flow and coordinate organ functions, providing theoretical foundations and clinical guidance for TCM differential treatment of pediatric CVA.

Key words: Cough variant asthma, Liver ascending and lung descending, Child