Behavioral therapy for persistent chronic cough

Efficacy of Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Refractory Cough in Patients With Laryngeal Hyperresponsiveness

This program will try behavioral cough suppression therapy to help adults whose cough has lasted more than eight weeks and has not improved with usual treatments.

Quick facts

• Phase: Not applicable
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 30 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years to 50 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Assiut University (Academic / other)
• Locations: 1 site (Asyut)
• Trial ID: NCT07488598 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This interventional program offers multimodal behavioral therapy—including patient education, cough suppression techniques, breathing retraining, and vocal hygiene—delivered by speech-language pathologists. It targets adults with chronic cough lasting over eight weeks that remains despite treatment for common causes and who show signs of laryngeal hyperresponsiveness. Key exclusions include current or very recent smokers, active pulmonary or cardiac disease, recent respiratory infection, ACE inhibitor use, significant structural laryngeal pathology, or neurological disorders affecting cough control. Outcomes will emphasize reductions in cough frequency and severity and improvements in related quality of life measures.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Adults (≥18 years) with a normal chest radiograph who have had cough for more than eight weeks that has not responded to standard treatments and who have clinical features of laryngeal hyperresponsiveness.

Not a fit: Patients who currently smoke or quit within six months, have active pulmonary or cardiac disease, recent respiratory infection, recent ACE inhibitor use, major laryngeal structural problems, or neurological disorders affecting cough control are unlikely to benefit or are excluded.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the therapy could reduce coughing episodes and improve physical and social quality of life for people with refractory chronic cough.

How similar studies have performed: Previous trials of behavioral cough suppression delivered by speech-language pathologists have shown benefit for many patients with refractory cough, though results vary and further confirmation is valuable.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

* Eligible participants are adults aged ≥18 years i.e. normal chest radiograph.
* participants with chronic cough persisting for more than eight weeks that is refractory to standard medical treatment for common causes of chronic cough, including asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease .
* Participants are required to exhibit clinical features suggestive of laryngeal hyperresponsiveness, such as cough triggered by phonation, laughter, cold air, or irritant exposure, with associated laryngeal symptoms including throat irritation, dysphonia, or frequent throat clearing.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients are excluded if they are current smokers or had ceased smoking within six months
* patients have evidence of active pulmonary or cardiac disease, recent respiratory tract infection, recent angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor use.
* significant structural laryngeal pathology, neurological disorders affecting cough reflex control, or inability to comply with study procedures.
* Head \&neck pathology e.g sinusitis, glottal insufficiency or primary muscle tension dysphonia

Where this trial is running

Asyut

• Assuit University hospitals — Asyut, Egypt (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Mohamed Shaaban Mohamed Mahfouz, Resident

Conditions Chronic Cough