The demographic and clinical characteristics of an Italian population of adult outpatients with chronic cough

Background Chronic cough is a major health problem worldwide and patients are best managed in specialised tertiary centres. Little information is available on the characteristics of chronic cough patients in several European countries, including Italy. Aims We report on the demographic, anthropometric and clinical features of a large Italian population of adult chronic cough outpatients (about 1200), who were referred to a specialised clinic in Florence, Italy, from 2008 to 2018. Methods Demographic, environmental, lifestyle and clinical information was collected at enrolment by means of a custom-designed electronic questionnaire that only allowed for uniform responses. A subjective measure of cough-related discomfort (cough score) was also obtained using a modified Borg Scale. A multivariable logistic regression model was defined to identify the patients' characteristics associated with the cough score. Results The characteristics of the examined population (n = 1204 outpatients) were strikingly similar to those described elsewhere. Female patients outnumbered the males [n = 847 females, (70.0%)]; both females and males displayed the same average cough score. The median age of outpatients was 61 (quartile 1 = 48; quartile 3 = 70) years; age and cough duration were unrelated to the cough score. Nasal obstruction, coughing during consultation, coughing during meals, throat clearing and the presence of respiratory abnormalities were correlated with the degree of discomfort caused by coughing. Discussion The features of chronic cough patients are similar worldwide. The process of cough reflex hypersensitisation may soothe sex-related perceptual differences, leading to similar levels of discomfort. Conclusions There seem to be clinical indicators that help in assessing the level of cough-related discomfort.