Cough Science News
Find all editions of Cough Science News below and get access to the latest cough science developments, publications, and interviews with cough experts.
Find all editions of Cough Science News below and get access to the latest cough science developments, publications, and interviews with cough experts.
This month’s roundup explores placebo effects in RCC trials, the role of interoception in chronic cough, and the cost burden of persistent symptoms, plus insights from Dr. Nadia Giannetti.
New key cough science publications, Actigraph x Hyfe partnership and more
This year marked significant progress in cough monitoring, solidifying cough as a valuable biomarker in diverse therapeutic areas
New findings on refractory chronic cough (RCC), pulmonary tuberculosis, and pulmonary fibrosis. Plus latest white papers by Hyfe.
Cough Science News Oct 1 - new studies on cough-related stress urinary incontinence, COVID-19 detection in vaccinated adults, and the effectiveness of anti-reflux surgery for chronic cough. Plus, expert discussions from Hyfe's Cough Science Forum and the latest on FDA regulations for cough monitoring technologies
Cough Science News Oct 1 - new studies on cough-related stress urinary incontinence, COVID-19 detection in vaccinated adults, and the effectiveness of anti-reflux surgery for chronic cough. Plus, expert discussions from Hyfe's Cough Science Forum and the latest on FDA regulations for cough monitoring technologies
Cough Science News, August 2024 - Explore studies on cough variability, acute cough duration, and the cost burden of chronic cough. Plus, discover the world’s most comprehensive collection of cinematic coughs and upcoming events in cough science
CougH Science News July 2024 - latest in cough science. Insights on cough detection algorithms, pulmonary fibrosis, asthma diagnosis from cough sounds, and more. Plus, watch expert discussions and stay updated on upcoming events
Hyfe Cough Science News, June 2024. Latest research on cough in fibrotic ILD, high-dose inhaled corticosteroids for chronic cough, and family physicians’ approaches to managing chronic cough. Plus, insights from leading researchers and upcoming events
Cough Science News May 2024 - studies on cough monitoring for COVID-19 surveillance, the effectiveness of codeine for chronic cough, factors in refractory cough in IPF, and more. Plus, insights from researchers and upcoming events
Hyfe Cough Science News, March 2024 - insights on chronic cough management in the UK, common triggers in cough hypersensitivity, and a review of treatments for refractory cough. Plus, expert Q&A and upcoming cough science events.
Key Takeaway
In a 7-center U.S. cohort of adults with chronic cough (n=150), the absence of postnasal drip independently differentiated unexplained chronic cough (UCC) from explained chronic cough (ECC) (OR 4.8; 95% CI 1.6–15.3). UCC patients reported more severe cough and greater irritant sensitivity (e.g., perfume, cleaners, air fresheners, cold air, smoke), while demographics (age, sex, race, seasonality) did not discriminate between groups.
Why It Matters
Simple history elements, no postnasal drip plus irritant-triggered, more severe cough, can help clinicians suspect UCC earlier, potentially reducing misdirected asthma/COPD workups and empiric therapies and guiding patients toward cough-focused pathways. Findings are questionnaire-based and need prospective validation, but they offer a pragmatic screening signal for triage in specialty clinics.
Key Takeaway
In a multicenter, non-interventional study of adults with refractory or unexplained chronic cough (n=190; mean cough duration 6.3 years), bouts of cough most strongly elicited anger and anxiety (mean DEQ scores 3.6 and 3.3), with disgust, fear, and sadness also elevated; RCC vs UCC did not differ, and both greater cough severity and cough-related stress urinary incontinence independently correlated with higher negative-emotion scores.
Why It Matters
The data quantify the emotional burden of RCC/UCC and flag two practical signals, severity and SUI, that track with worse emotional impact. Routine intake could include brief emotion screening (or DEQ where feasible) to guide supportive counseling, behavioral therapies, and trial endpoints that capture patient-centred outcomes beyond cough counts alone.
Key Takeaway
This review reframes chronic cough as a neuropathic hypersensitivity disorder driven by peripheral and central neuroinflammatory mechanisms; management should first exclude treatable causes, then prioritize neuromodulators and speech-language (behavioral cough suppression) therapy, with the field moving toward endotyping and novel antitussives.
Why It Matters
Viewing cough through a neuropathic lens shifts practice from endless cause-hunting to targeted, mechanism-based care and patient stratification, setting clearer pathways for therapy selection and trial design as new antitussives emerge.
Thank you to everyone, clinicians, researchers, and industry partners, who met with us in Amsterdam. The conversations were energizing and constructive, and it was clear the cough science community is moving with real momentum, and cough is becoming more important on the ERS agenda.
What stood out
Posters
Monitoring tolerance to inhaled antibiotics in chronic bronchial infection: With our partners in Lleida, continuous cough data supported early detection of intolerance and allowed for more personalized treatment decisions.
Azithromycin + continuous cough monitoring: First study to assess azithromycin’s antitussive effect using smartwatch-based objective monitoring; authors recommend this approach for granular cough assessment in airways disease trials.
The Hyfe CoughMonitor smartwatch accurately detects wear status using the PPG-based algorithm which has both high granularity and high accuracy. These findings support its use in clinical research where adherence to cough monitoring is essential in evaluating objective cough dynamics.
How long to characterise baseline cough? Evidence supporting a 7-day monitoring standard to obtain a stable baseline, rather than relying on single-day snapshots.
If you’d like copies or more information on any posters, simply reply to this email and we’ll send them.
LATE BREAKING! Hyfe is excited to announce the preliminary results of a digital therapeutic (DTx) for chronic refractory cough, to be presented at the CHEST meeting this October 19–22 in Chicago, Illinois. Our scientific advisor, Laurie Slovarp, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, will deliver the late-breaking presentation titled “Digital Therapeutic for Refractory and Unexplained Chronic Cough: A Proof of Concept Study”. If you have any questions - reach out to laurie@coughcoach.com .
Our Digital Health Lead Dr. Mindaugas Galvosas will be attending The Next-generation Digital Biomarkers Summit 2025 on the 6th of November in Zurich, Switzerland. If you are curious to learn more about cough as a biomarker - reach out to mindaugas@hyfe.com .
Until next time,
The Hyfe Team