A recent study found no significant association between chronic cough and moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in a large cohort of patients.
The study, published in Pulmonology, explored the association between chronic cough (CC) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in 821 patients. Participants underwent polysomnography in-lab or home sleep apnea testing. Chronic cough was defined as a cough persisting for ≥8 weeks, while moderate to severe OSA was characterized by an Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) ≥15/h.
Findings revealed no significant association between CC and moderate to severe OSA. The prevalence of CC was consistent across AHI categories: 14.8% in patients with AHI <5/h, 12.6% with AHI 5–15/h, 13.6% with AHI 15–30/h, and 12.6% with AHI ≥30/h. These results contradicted previous studies that suggested a link between OSA and CC.
Additionally, patients with OSA and CC were more likely to have comorbidities such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (55.6% vs. 26.9%), chronic bronchitis (23.3% vs. 7.1%), and rhinitis (23.3% vs. 9.1%) compared to those with OSA but no CC. This indicates that CC is multifactorial and not uniquely associated with OSA, suggesting that systematic screening for OSA in CC patients may not be necessary.
The full list of disclosures can be found in the original study.