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Treatable traits in cough: findings from patients with refractory chronic cough undergoing laryngoscopy

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Extract Chronic cough is a common condition seen world-wide and associated with reduced quality of life and significant healthcare costs [1, 2]. Patients with cough with no identifiable cause or not responding to treatment of identified causes are labelled as having refractory chronic cough (RCC). The dominant issue for RCC is thought to be a primary neuropathic disorder manifesting features of cough hypersensitivity that needs specific targeted treatment [3, 4]. “Treatable traits” is a schematic clinical framework that evolved in the field of airways disease, a response to the limitations of traditional diagnostic categories (COPD, asthma, etc.) when trying to treat complex disease in clinic [5]. The treatable traits approach represents a major paradigm shift for cough, with potential to benefit patients and healthcare systems, and has been adopted by recent consensus guidance from the British Thoracic Society [3], generating significant interest worldwide [6, 7].

Source: ERJ Open Research

DOI: 10.1183/23120541.01211-2025