Table 1 Characteristics of patients with and without laboratory-confirmed pertussis

Number

183

1132

Age mean (range), years

39.1 (16–77)

37.6 (16–79)

0.3189

Male : Female

73 : 110

501 : 631

0.2965

Symptom*

  Paroxysmal cough

165 (90.1)

849 (75.0)

<0.0001

  Awakened by cough

133 (72.6)

747 (65.9)

0.0760

  Sputum production

67 (36.6)

378 (33.3)

0.4006

  Chest pain

66 (36.0)

382 (33.7)

0.5566

  Dyspnea

56 (30.6)

297 (26.2)

0.2423

  Posttussive vomiting

46 (25.1)

228 (20.1)

0.1407

  Posttussive gagging

90 (49.1)

259 (22.8)

<0.0001

  Inspiratory whoop

36 (19.6)

156 (13.7)

0.0420

  History of fever (≥37.0°C)

27 (14.7)

234 (20.6)

0.0718

Upper respiratory tract infection symptoms before cough

83 (45.3)

561 (49.5)

0.3011

Exposed to cough by family member or work/school colleague*

97 (53.0)

273 (24.1)

<0.0001

Hospitalization*

1 (0.5)

10 (0.8)

>0.9999

Laboratory data

  WBC mean number ± SD, /mm³

6,619 ± 2,815

7,034 ± 2,622

0.1925

Lymphocyte mean number ± SD, /mm³

2,043 ± 892

2,211 ± 973

0.1244