C102-17 Group Telehealth Behavioral Cough Suppression Therapy For Refractory Chronic Cough Using Two Enrollment Models

Rationale Refractory chronic cough (RCC) is a prevalent, debilitating condition with limited treatment options. Behavioral cough suppression therapy (BCST) is highly effective, yet access is restricted by geography and clinician availability. This research evaluated the effectiveness of BCST delivered via group telehealth and compared two treatment delivery models: a rolling enrollment model (Study 1) and a cohort-based model (Study 2). We hypothesized that both telehealth models would yield significant, clinically meaningful improvements, with superior outcomes in the rolling enrollment model. Methods BCST was delivered via telehealth to groups of 3-5 participants with RCC. Both studies used identical treatment protocols; however, Study 1 used a rolling enrollment model (new participants added as participants completed treatment), while Study 2 used fixed cohort groups. Participants completed at least four 60-90 minute sessions, with the option for 1-2 additional sessions. Each session followed a structured format including: (1) education on cough hypersensitivity and the neuroplastic rationale for suppression, (2) adherence assessment, (3) technique instruction and review, (4) application of the “Three Rs” principle—Be Ready, Respond, and Regain Control, and (5) individualized troubleshooting. The Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ) was administered pre- and post-treatment and one month after treatment as the primary outcome. Results Forty-seven adults completed Study 1 and 25 completed Study 2. Clinically meaningful improvement (LCQ ≥ 2.0 points) was achieved by 46 participants (98%) in Study 1 and 23 (92%) in Study 2 at one-week post-treatment. Mean LCQ changes at treatment end were 7.04 and 5.82 points (both p < .001) for Studies 1 and 2, respectively, and remained stable at one month (7.04 and 5.72 points). The rolling enrollment model yielded significantly greater improvement than the cohort model (p = .0085). Conclusions These findings provide strong evidence that BCST can be effectively delivered in a group telehealth format. The rolling enrollment model not only demonstrated excellent effectiveness but may also exceed outcomes typically reported for individual BCST, which average ≈ 4.5 points improvement on the LCQ. Although limitations include non-randomized design and absence of a placebo control, the typical ≈ 3-point LCQ placebo response suggests treatment effects were genuine and clinically robust. These studies support group-based telehealth BCST as a scalable, effective approach for individuals with refractory chronic cough. This abstract is funded by: None