Purpose: This analysis assesses clinical characteristics of patients with refractory chronic cough (RCC) or unexplained chronic cough (UCC) enrolled in a phase 2 study to better understand this patient population.
Methods: Patients with RCC/UCC lasting for ≥ 1 year and cough severity visual analog scale (VAS) score of > 40 mm at screening were eligible. Demographics, clinical characteristics, and medical history were collected at baseline. Cough-related measures included cough severity VAS, Cough Severity Diary (CSD), Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ), and a structured cough-trigger questionnaire. Medication history included all medications 30 days before screening and chronic cough treatments within 1 year before screening. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics.
Results: Patients (N = 253; female, 76%; mean age, 60 years) had severe (mean cough severity VAS, 57.5 mm) and long-lasting (median duration, 11 years) cough. The most burdensome self-reported aspects included psychological and social factors (LCQ) and cough frequency and intensity (CSD). Patient-reported triggers were consistent with cough hypersensitivity (e.g., 95% to 96% reported irritation or tickle in throat). Common reported comorbidities included gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD; 56%), allergic rhinitis (47%), and asthma (30%); 12% of patients had been diagnosed with all 3 conditions. The most common prior medications included inhaled or oral steroids (21%), antihistamines (15%), and antacids (15%).
Conclusion: Patients with RCC/UCC had severe, long-lasting, and burdensome cough with clinical features of cough hypersensitivity. Many patients had been diagnosed with GERD, allergic rhinitis, and asthma but had a persistent cough despite treatment of these conditions.
Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02612610; registered November 20, 2015.
Keywords: Cough hypersensitivity syndrome; Idiopathic chronic cough; Persistent cough; Refractory cough; Troublesome cough.