Assessing cough symptom severity in refractory or unexplained chronic cough: findings from patient focus groups and an international expert panel.

Background: Cough symptom severity represents an important subjective end-point to assess the impact of therapies for patients with refractory or unexplained chronic cough (RCC/UCC). As existing instruments assessing the severity of cough are neither widely available nor tested for measurement properties, we aim to develop a new patient-reported outcome measure addressing cough severity. Objective: The aim of this study was to establish items and domains that would inform development of a new cough severity instrument. Methods: Three focus groups involving 16 adult patients with RCC/UCC provided data that we analysed using directed content analysis. Discussions led to consensus among an international panel of 15 experts on candidate items and domains to assess cough severity. Results: The patient focus group provided 48 unique items arranged under broad domains of urge-to-cough sensations and cough symptom. Feedback from expert panel members confirmed the appropriateness of items and domains, and provided an additional subdomain related to cough triggers. The final conceptual framework comprised 51 items in the following domains: urge-to-cough sensations (subdomains: frequency and intensity) and cough symptom (subdomains: triggers, control, frequency, fit/bout duration, intensity, quality and associated features/sequelae). Conclusions: Consensus findings from patients and international experts established domains of urge-to-cough and cough symptom with associated subdomains and relevant items. The results support item generation and content validity for a novel patient-reported outcome measure for use in health research and clinical practice.

Life-Threatening and Non-Life-Threatening Complications Associated With Coughing: A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: This is an update of the section on complications that are associated with coughing in the 2006 CHEST cough guidelines that addresses two aims: (1) to systematically identify and thematically categorize the diverse complications of cough by providing a guide for future studies and (2) to identify gaps in the literature for future research. RESEARCH QUESTION: What are the potential complications that are associated with the act of coughing that have been reported in infants, children, adolescents, and adults? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A scoping review was performed with the use of PubMed and SCOPUS databases that were searched from their beginning until September 6, 2019. RESULTS: Two hundred forty-seven publications met our inclusion criteria. To these, we added 38 articles from the 2006 complications paper that were not identified in the literature search plus the paper itself for a final total of 286 publications that formed the basis of this review. Since 2006, three new categories of complications have been reported: ear, nose and throat; disease transmission; and laboratory testing. Multiple additional complications that fall outside of these three categories have also been identified and included in the following categories: cardiovascular, constitutional symptoms, dermatologic, GI, genitourinary, musculoskeletal, neurologic, ophthalmologic, psychosocial/quality of life, and respiratory. Not previously highlighted is that some of the complications led to serious morbidity that included death, especially in patients with comorbid conditions, and potentially resulted in harm to others when cough resulted in a motor vehicle accident. INTERPRETATION: Our work identified a large number of cough complications that we thematically categorized primarily by organ system so that future studies of each system or each complication can be conducted. The gap in the literature that future studies should address is to identify the frequency of the complications and the strength of their association with cough. Only then will one be able to describe the findings in a manner that allows specific recommendations for avoiding these complications. In the meantime, patients with cough should be evaluated and treated according to evidence-based guidelines to mitigate or prevent the myriad of potential complications that are associated with coughing.

Classification of Cough as a Symptom in Adults and Management Algorithms: CHEST Guideline and Expert Panel Report.

BACKGROUND: We performed systematic reviews using the population, intervention, comparison, outcome (PICO) format to answer the following key clinical question: Are the CHEST 2006 classifications of acute, subacute and chronic cough and associated management algorithms in adults that were based on durations of cough useful? METHODS: We used the CHEST Expert Cough Panel's protocol for the systematic reviews and the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) methodological guidelines and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation framework. Data from the systematic reviews in conjunction with patient values and preferences and the clinical context were used to form recommendations or suggestions. Delphi methodology was used to obtain the final grading. RESULTS: With respect to acute cough (< 3 weeks), only three studies met our criteria for quality assessment, and all had a high risk of bias. As predicted by the 2006 CHEST Cough Guidelines, the most common causes were respiratory infections, most likely of viral cause, followed by exacerbations of underlying diseases such as asthma and COPD and pneumonia. The subjects resided on three continents: North America, Europe, and Asia. With respect to subacute cough (duration, 3-8 weeks), only two studies met our criteria for quality assessment, and both had a high risk of bias. As predicted by the 2006 guidelines, the most common causes were postinfectious cough and exacerbation of underlying diseases such as asthma, COPD, and upper airway cough syndrome (UACS). The subjects resided in countries in Asia. With respect to chronic cough (> 8 weeks), 11 studies met our criteria for quality assessment, and all had a high risk of bias. As predicted by the 2006 guidelines, the most common causes were UACS from rhinosinus conditions, asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease, nonasthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis, combinations of these four conditions, and, less commonly, a variety of miscellaneous conditions and atopic cough in Asian countries. The subjects resided on four continents: North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. CONCLUSIONS: Although the quality of evidence was low, the published literature since 2006 suggests that CHEST's 2006 Cough Guidelines and management algorithms for acute, subacute, and chronic cough in adults appeared useful in diagnosing and treating patients with cough around the globe. These same algorithms have been updated to reflect the advances in cough management as of 2017.

Change in Psychological, Physiological, and Situational Factors in Adults After Treatment of Chronic Cough.

BACKGROUND: We hypothesized that addressing anxiety and depressive mood disorders will improve chronic cough severity and cough quality of life (CQOL). METHODS: Major tenets of the theory of unpleasant symptoms were examined in a longitudinal observational study of consecutive adults with cough of > 8 weeks' duration treated in our cough clinic. At baseline and 3 and 6 months, subjects completed 3 Punum Ladders rating cough severity, the CQOL Questionnaire, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales-21, and the Duke Functional Social Support Questionnaire. Cross-sectional baseline and longitudinal regression analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Eighty subjects (55 women) with a mean age of 58.5 ± 11.1 years and a cough duration of 86.0 ± 123.7 months were enrolled. At baseline, worse cough severity was significantly associated with less education and worse ability to speak bothered by cough and the urge to cough. Worse CQOL was significantly associated with worse depression symptoms, urinary incontinence, and ability to speak; use of self-prescribed remedies; and younger age. Significant improvements in depression and stress symptoms occurred at 3 and 6 months. Anxiety symptoms improved, particularly in the first 3 months. Improvement in cough severity was significantly associated with less education, male sex, and improvement in ability to speak and urge to cough. Improvement in CQOL was significantly associated with improvement in urinary incontinence, urge to cough, anxiety symptoms, and use of self-prescribed remedies. CONCLUSIONS: Using the theory of unpleasant symptoms, we have come to appreciate that managing psychological, physiological, and situational factors in addition to focusing on identifying the cause of cough is important to maximize improvement in CQOL.