Efficacy of behavioral cough suppression therapy for refractory chronic cough or unexplained chronic cough: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND

The efficacy of behavioral cough suppression therapy (BCST) for refractory chronic cough (RCC) and unexplained chronic cough (UCC) remains unclear due to limited evidence from small-scale single-center studies.

OBJECTIVE

To compile and assess the quality of evidence from randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effectiveness of BCST.

DESIGN

This study included randomized controlled studies and self-controlled studies related to BCST involving adult patients with RCC or UCC.

DATA SOURCES AND

METHODS

We conducted an extensive search of various English and Chinese databases (e.g., PubMed, CNKI, CBM, VIP, and Wanfang Data Journal Full-text Database) and the Clinical Trial Registration website up to April 2024. The selected studies underwent meta-analysis to investigate the impact of BCST on the patient's quality of life and cough frequency.

RESULTS

The included 12 studies showed that BCST significantly improved the Leicester Cough Questionnaire scores of the patients (MD = 4.50, 95% CI (4.03, 4.97), p < 0.001) compared to the simple verbal education group. In addition, a significant reduction in objective cough frequency was observed in patients compared to before BCST, with a statistically significant difference (MD = -8.06, 95% CI (-9.71, -6.41), p < 0.001). Other measures of cough symptoms, such as symptom scores, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores, and Cough Severity Index (CSI) also showed improvement.

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis revealed positive therapeutic effects of BCST in patients with RCC/UCC, potentially advancing its application in broader clinical settings.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered on PROSPERO with the registration number CRD42024530746.