Decoding objective cough features in progressive pulmonary fibrosis: A 6-month feasibility study

Cough is a significant medical problem in progressive pulmonary fibrosis. This study assessed the feasibility of utilizing an objective cough monitoring device over an extended duration and whether big data analytics could correlate with the Leicester Cough (LCQ) and King's Brief Interstitial Lung Disease (K-BILD) questionnaires.

Patients with progressive pulmonary fibrosis were enrolled and followed throughout the six-month protocol. The primary outcome was for the participants to use the device for more than 70% of the days of the expected study duration. The secondary outcome involved an exploratory big data analysis, correlating the measurements from the device to the questionnaires scores.

Eight patients were enrolled in the study. Only one met the primary outcome. Nevertheless, the amount of data recorded during the study allowed for the correlation of cough intensity with the scores of LCQ and K-BILD. Cough count varied over time in all the patients, independently of the questionnaires.

For the first time, this study suggests that long-term digital cough data obtained directly from the patients through wearables may enable monitoring the course of diseases such as progressive pulmonary fibrosis.