Cough-aggravating factors in major pulmonary diseases

<bold>Background:</bold> Recent studies demonstrated female sex, younger age, and gastrointestinal symptoms associated with aggravation of chronic or prolonged cough. There are few reports on cough-aggravating factors in the major chronic pulmonary diseases commonly encountered by respiratory physicians. <bold>Aims:</bold> To investigate cough-aggravating factors in patients with chronic pulmonary diseases. <bold>Subjects and methods:</bold> Data from six prospective observational studies assessing the relationship between chronic lung disease and cough at Shizuoka General Hospital were collected. All 454 patients (171 with lung cancer: LC, 149 with pulmonary tuberculosis: TB, 78 with nontuberculous mycobacteria: NTM, and 56 with interstitial lung disease: ILD) assessed by the Leicester cough questionnaire (LCQ) were evaluated. Clinical indices, including age, BMI, and the frequency scale for the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (FSSG) score associated with worsening LCQ, were investigated. <bold>Results:</bold> The mean LCQs were 17.4 in LC, 18.2 in TB, 17.8 in NTM, and 17.8 in ILD. Significant correlations between LCQ and FSSG were observed in all four diseases (Figure). In multiple regression analysis, younger age and FSSG score ≥ 8 were independent cough-aggravating factors regardless of the type of lung disease. <bold>Conclusions:</bold> Younger age and a high gastroesophageal reflux score were associated with aggravation of cough in major pulmonary diseases. <fig><object-id>erj;64/suppl_68/PA2142/F1</object-id><object-id>F1</object-id><object-id>F1</object-id><graphic></graphic></fig>