Emotions in patients with refractory or unexplained chronic cough: a multicenter, non-interventional study

Area of Science:

• Pulmonology
• Psychology
• Quality of Life Research

Background:

• Chronic cough (CC) negatively affects patients' quality of life and daily activities.
• CC can induce significant emotional distress, including uncertainty, loss of control, helplessness, and anger.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the specific emotions experienced by patients during bouts of refractory or unexplained chronic cough (RCC/UCC).
• To utilize a validated questionnaire to quantify the emotional impact of RCC/UCC.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter, non-interventional study was conducted in Spain.
• 190 patients with RCC/UCC completed the Discrete Emotions Questionnaire (DEQ).
• The DEQ assesses eight state emotions on a 7-point Likert scale.

Main Results:

• Anger (3.6) and anxiety (3.3) were the most frequently reported negative emotions.
• Disgust, fear, and sadness were also significantly reported.
• Cough severity and stress urinary incontinence (SUI) were independently linked to higher negative emotion scores.

Conclusions:

• Bouts of cough in patients with RCC/UCC commonly trigger negative emotions like anger, anxiety, disgust, fear, and sadness.
• Emotional impact was consistent across refractory and unexplained chronic cough diagnoses.
• Worsening cough severity and the presence of SUI correlate with increased negative emotional experiences.