RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Chronic cough is associated with increased reporting of autonomic symptoms
JF ERJ Open Research
JO erjor
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 00105-2021
DO 10.1183/23120541.00105-2021
VO 7
IS 3
A1 Rachel J. Dockry
A1 Carmen L. Farrelly
A1 Joanne Mitchell
A1 Douglas R. Corfield
A1 Jaclyn A. Smith
YR 2021
UL http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/7/3/00105-2021.abstract
AB Background Patients with some neuronal hypersensitivity syndromes experience increased autonomic symptoms. Chronic cough is thought to be a neuronal hypersensitivity disorder and, therefore, may be associated with increased autonomic symptoms.Methods 96 chronic cough subjects were recruited from the tertiary cough clinic based at Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, UK; 76 healthy controls were also recruited. Subjects were aged >18 years. Those with significant respiratory disease, significant smoking history or taking medication known to affect cough or autonomic function were excluded. Subjects completed the Composite Autonomic Symptom Score (COMPASS) 31 autonomic symptom questionnaire, the Cough Quality of Life Questionnaire (CQLQ) and a cough severity visual analogue scale (VAS).Results 96 chronic cough subjects and 76 healthy volunteers were included in the final analysis. Mann–Whitney U-tests comparing COMPASS 31 scores in both groups showed that the total COMPASS 31 score was significantly higher in the patient group (median 18.4, interquartile range (IQR) 7.5–32.0) than the control group (median 3.6, IQR 1.1–9.5; p<0.001). The chronic cough subjects had significantly higher symptom scores than the healthy volunteer groups in all domains (p≤0.001) except vasomotor symptoms (p=0.770). There was a positive association between COMPASS 31 and CQLQ in the patient group (p<0.001, r=0.432) but not COMPASS 31 and VAS (p=0.227).Interpretation Chronic cough patients do indeed report more frequent and severe autonomic symptoms than healthy volunteers, indicating that this population may suffer from dysautonomia. At present, it remains unclear whether this occurs as a result of the cough or whether both the cough and dysfunction are part of some wider vagal pathology.Chronic refractory cough patients report a greater range and severity of autonomic symptoms when compared to healthy volunteers. This may suggest that the cough is part of a wider vagal pathology. https://bit.ly/33hzJEt