Exploring Traits Associated With Central Sensitization Features in Patients With Chronic Cough

The concept of cough hypersensitivity suggests that central sensitization plays a role in the pathophysiology of chronic cough. However, it remains unclear which traits are associated with central sensitization features in patients with chronic cough. A cohort of 317 Korean patients with newly referred chronic cough underwent clinical evaluations. The Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI), a questionnaire originally developed as a screening tool to identify patients with Central Sensitization Syndrome, was also administered. Other patient-reported outcomes (PROs), such as the cough severity visual analogue scale, Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ), Cough Hypersensitivity Questionnaire (CHQ), and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) scale, were also administered. Follow-up assessments were conducted one month later. At baseline, the presence of CSI scores of ≥ 40 was associated with being female (89.6% vs. 63.4%; P < 0.001), older age, concomitant symptoms, and cough-related complications. CSI scores correlated with PRO scores, including LCQ (r = -0.424, P < 0.001), CHQ (r = 0.373, P < 0.001), and CES-D (r = -0.660, P < 0.001). Their patterns of correlations were similar in the 1-month longitudinal follow-up data analysis. In conclusion, CSI scores in patients with chronic cough correlated with cough-specific and depression-related PROs, suggesting the potential relevance of central sensitization in certain phenotypes of chronic cough.