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The Impact of Chronic Cough: A Cross-Sectional European Survey

Lung volume 193, pages 401–408 (2015)Cite this article

An Erratum to this article was published on 12 June 2015

Abstract

Purpose

Studies that investigate the impact of chronic cough have largely focused on patients attending secondary care. Our aim was to investigate the opinions of the wider general population across Europe.

Methods

An internet survey was made available in 12 languages on the European Lung Foundation website, between January 2012 and April 2013.

Results

Of 1120 respondents from 29 different European countries, 67 % were female, mean age 51 years (SD 15), median cough duration 2–5 years. The majority of respondents reported cough impacted their quality of life, mood and ability to undertake activities. Despite 72 % of respondents having visited their doctor ≥3 times, only 53 % had received a diagnosis. Asthma was the most common diagnosis (23 %). Most respondents reported limited or no effectiveness of medications. 88 % of respondents reported that they would like more information to be available on chronic cough.

Conclusions

Chronic cough has a negative impact on quality of life. Further work is needed to raise awareness, promote management strategies, develop effective treatments and consider the educational and support needs of patients with chronic cough.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank our colleagues at the ERS Chronic Cough Taskforce for their valuable feedback during the development of the survey, ERS Chronic Taskforce members: Maria Belvisi, Kristina Bieksiene, Kian Fan Chung, Peter Dicpingaitis, Robert W. Dal Negro, Ahmad Kantar, Lorcan P. McGarvey, Eva Millqvist, Raimundas Sakalauskas, Jaclyn A. Smith. We also would like to thank all the respondents to the survey.

Conflict of interest

Authors Chamberlain, Garrod, Douiri, Bücher, Masefield, Powell, Birring declare that they have no conflict of interest. Author Pandyan has received research grants from the National Institute of Health Research and Pneumacare, he also received educational support from Allergan Limited, Biometrics Limited and GlaxoSmithKline. Author AM has received research grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, Cheisi Pharma, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Orion Pharma UK, Procter & Gamble Health Sciences, Pfizer, Pharmaxis, Profile Pharma, MPEX Pharmaceuticals, PPD Development, Almirall, Seekacure, Philips Home Healthcare Solutions, Glenmark, Harrison Clinical Research, Janssen, Gilead, Bayer, Astrazeneca, Genentech, Bionoria, PRA International, GlaxoSmithKline, Allianz Global, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease, Cardiff Chest Federation, British Pharmacological Society, Italian Society of Respiratory Medicine, Drug Information Association, SRxA USA, Association of Inhalation Toxicologists, Ardmore Healthcare Limited, Actelion, Hellenic Society of Respiratory and Occupational Chest Diseases, Primary Care respiratory Society UK, TREAT Education USA, National Health and Lung Institute.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Asthma, Allergy and Lung Biology, King’s College London, Denmark Hill Campus, London, SE5 9RS, UK

    Sarah A. F. Chamberlain & Surinder S. Birring

  2. School of Health and Rehabilitation, Keele University, Keele, UK

    Sarah A. F. Chamberlain, Catherine Bücher & Anand Pandyan

  3. King’s College London, Denmark Hill Campus, London, UK

    Rachel Garrod

  4. Department of Primary Care and Public Health Sciences, King’s College London, London, UK

    Abdel Douiri

  5. NIHR Biomedical Centre, King’s College London, London, UK

    Abdel Douiri

  6. European Lung Foundation, Sheffield, UK

    Sarah Masefield & Pippa Powell

  7. Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine, Keele University, Keele, UK

    Catherine Bücher & Anand Pandyan

  8. Hull York Medical School, Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham, UK

    Alyn H. Morice

Authors
  1. Sarah A. F. Chamberlain
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  2. Rachel Garrod
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  3. Abdel Douiri
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  4. Sarah Masefield
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  5. Pippa Powell
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  6. Catherine Bücher
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  7. Anand Pandyan
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  8. Alyn H. Morice
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  9. Surinder S. Birring
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Surinder S. Birring.

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Chamberlain, S.A.F., Garrod, R., Douiri, A. et al. The Impact of Chronic Cough: A Cross-Sectional European Survey. Lung 193, 401–408 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00408-015-9701-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00408-015-9701-2

Keywords

  • Chronic cough
  • Antitussive therapy
  • Survey
  • Quality of life
  • Management