Abstract Rationale Cough hypersensitivity (CHS), characterized by exaggerated cough responses to mild stimuli, is the proposed neuropathic mechanism underlying refractory and unexplained chronic cough. Laryngeal abnormal sensation (LAS) is a key feature of CHS. LAS and cough are increasingly captured as interconnected manifestations, or “different facets” (sensory vs. motor), of this underlying neuronal dysfunction, likely involving the vagus nerve. However, the clinical characteristics of LAS and its prevalence in a non-clinical working population remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and prevalence of LAS. Methods This cross-sectional study included 556 healthcare workers (aged 20-72) from Gamagori City Hospital, Japan. Data on demographics, current symptoms (including cough duration), and self-reported medical histories were collected . Participants completed the Newcastle Laryngeal Hypersensitivity Questionnaire (NLHQ), Hull Airway Reflux Questionnaire (HARQ), and Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ). LAS was defined as an NLHQ score 17.1. Binary logistic regression, adjusted for age and cough status, was used to analyze LAS-associated factors, entering asthma, GERD, mood swings, and chronic rhinosinusitis as independent variables . Results LAS was present in 9.5% (53/556) of participants. The LAS-positive group had significantly higher prevalence of asthma (13.2% vs. 3.4%, P = 0.005), chronic rhinosinusitis (7.5% vs. 1.0%, P = 0.006), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD; 11.3% vs. 1.2%, P 0.001) . Cough prevalence was significantly higher in the LAS(+) group (45.2% vs. 9.5%, P 0.001), and LAS was associated with cough of all durations (acute, subacute, and chronic) . LAS(+) participants reported significantly impaired quality of life (mean Total LCQ 15.9 vs. 20.0, P 0.001) and higher airway reflux symptoms (mean HARQ 11.66 vs 1.54, P 0.001) . Multivariate analysis confirmed asthma (OR = 5.092, 95% CI: 1.778-14.583), GERD (OR = 12.397, 95% CI: 3.337-50.157), and mood swings (OR = 2.957, 95% CI: 1.464-5.974) as independent risk factors for LAS . Conclusions LAS is prevalent in this hospital worker population, markedly affects cough symptoms and quality of life, and is independently associated with asthma, GERD, and mood swings. These findings may suggest LAS and cough are not merely comorbidities but rather different facets of the same underlying disease entity. The strong link with GERD may also reflect this shared pathophysiology, representing a generalized vagal hypersensitivity rather than a simple causal effect from acid reflux. This abstract is funded by: None
Amakusa et al. (Fri,) studied this question.