Effect of Superior Laryngeal Nerve Block for Neurogenic Cough: A Single‐Arm Meta‐Analysis

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess cough symptom improvement following superior laryngeal nerve block (SLNB) in patients with neurogenic cough (NC). DATA SOURCES: Studies were systematically searched on PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. REVIEW METHODS: Articles reporting SLNB for the treatment of NC were included. Outcomes of interest included subjective reporting of improvement, patient-reported outcome measures, and adverse events. Mean difference (MD) was used for continuous outcomes and proportions for binary endpoints, with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Eight retrospective studies involving 552 patients met inclusion criteria. The pooled proportion of subjective improvement of cough following SLNB was 74.04% (95% CI 68.61-78.81, I² = 13.6%). Patients experienced a statistically significant reduction in Cough Severity Index scores (MD -7.37, 95% CI -13.42 to -1.32, P = .02, I² = 81.7%), with the greatest reduction in those who underwent 3 or more injections (MD -10.57, 95% CI -19.37 to -1.78, I² = 33.4%, P = .02). Adverse events were minimal and self-resolving, with 17.91% and 3.35% of patients experiencing local transient and systemic transient events, respectively. Injection-limiting/serious adverse events were rare, occurring in 1.97% of patients. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that SLNB may benefit a substantial number of patients, as evidenced by improvements in both subjective reports and cough-specific patient-reported outcomes, while maintaining a favorable safety profile with minimal adverse events. Additionally, patients who received multiple injections generally experienced greater reductions in cough severity. Further large-scale clinical trials are needed to confirm the efficacy and long-term effects of this treatment modality. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.