Department of OtoHNS, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A.
University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A.
Laryngoscope. 2024 Dec;134(12):5010-5014. doi: 10.1002/lary.31673. Epub 2024 Aug 2.
Unexplained chronic cough (UCC) is common and has significant impacts on quality of life. Ongoing cough can sensitize the larynx, increasing the urge to cough and perpetuating the cycle of chronic cough. Vibrotactile stimulation (VTS) of the larynx is a noninvasive stimulation technique that can modulate laryngeal somatosensory and motor activity. Study objectives were to assess feasibility and acceptability of VTS use by people with UCC. Secondarily, changes in cough-related quality of life measures were assessed.
Adults with UCC recorded cough measures at baseline and after completing 2 weeks of daily VTS. Feasibility and acceptability were assessed through participant-reported device use and structured feedback. Cough-related quality of life measures were the Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ) and the Newcastle Laryngeal Hypersensitivity Questionnaire (NLHQ).
Nineteen adults participated, with mean age 67 years and cough duration 130 months. Notably, 93% of planned VTS sessions were logged, 94% of participants found the device comfortable to wear, 89% found it easy to operate and 79% would recommend it to others. Pre-post LCQ change achieved a minimal important difference (MID) (mean 1.3 [SD 2.4, p = 0.015]). NLHQ scores improved, but did not reach an MID.
Laryngeal VTS use was feasible and acceptable for use by patients with UCC and was associated with a meaningful improvement in cough-related quality of life. Future studies will include VTS dose refinement and the inclusion of a comparison arm to further assess the potential for laryngeal VTS as a novel treatment modality for UCC.
4 Laryngoscope, 134:5010-5014, 2024.
不明原因的慢性咳嗽（UCC）很常见，会显著影响生活质量。持续咳嗽会使喉部敏感，增加咳嗽的冲动，并使慢性咳嗽持续存在。喉部振动触觉刺激（VTS）是一种非侵入性的刺激技术，可以调节喉部的躯体感觉和运动活动。本研究的目的是评估 UCC 患者使用 VTS 的可行性和可接受性。其次，评估咳嗽相关生活质量测量的变化。
患有 UCC 的成年人在基线和完成 2 周的每日 VTS 后记录咳嗽测量值。通过参与者报告的设备使用情况和结构化反馈来评估可行性和可接受性。咳嗽相关生活质量的测量包括莱斯特咳嗽问卷（LCQ）和纽卡斯尔喉高敏问卷（NLHQ）。
19 名成年人参与了研究，平均年龄 67 岁，咳嗽持续时间为 130 个月。值得注意的是，计划中的 VTS 疗程有 93%被记录，94%的参与者发现设备佩戴舒适，89%的参与者认为操作简单，79%的参与者会向他人推荐。LCQ 变化的前后预值达到了最小临床重要差异（MID）（平均 1.3 [SD 2.4，p=0.015]）。NLHQ 评分有所改善，但未达到 MID。
喉部 VTS 对 UCC 患者是可行和可接受的，并且与咳嗽相关生活质量的显著改善相关。未来的研究将包括 VTS 剂量的优化和包括一个对照组，以进一步评估喉部 VTS 作为一种新的 UCC 治疗方法的潜力。
4 级喉镜检查，134：5010-5014，2024。
