Persistence of chronic cough in a community-based population

Area of Science:

• Pulmonology
• Gastroenterology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Chronic cough significantly impairs quality of life and is often treatment-resistant.
• Previous research on cough persistence focused on specialized clinics, leaving a gap in understanding community-based populations.
• The persistence of chronic cough in unselected populations remains under-investigated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate factors predicting the persistence of chronic cough at 12-month follow-up.
• To analyze predictors in a community-based cohort of individuals experiencing chronic cough.
• To identify key risk factors for long-term cough symptoms.

Main Methods:

• Prospective follow-up study involving a community-based cohort.
• Initial email survey in 2017 collected data on current cough and risk factors from 264 subjects.
• A follow-up questionnaire was sent 12 months later to assess cough persistence, with a response rate of 77.7% (205 subjects).

Main Results:

• Of the 205 respondents, 165 (80.5%) still experienced chronic cough after 12 months.
• Multivariate analysis identified gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (aOR 5.02) as the primary predictor of persistent cough.
• Other predictors included chemical triggers (aOR 2.88), cough duration >1 year (aOR 2.80), frequent somatic symptoms (aOR 1.31), and a low number of family members (aOR 0.71).

Conclusions:

• The majority of individuals with chronic cough continue to experience symptoms one year later.
• Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease is the most significant predictor for the persistence of chronic cough.
• Understanding these predictors can inform management strategies for chronic cough in community settings.