Beck Kyongmin Sarah, Han Dae Hee, Jeon Hyun-Seob, Shin Juyoung, Lee Sook Young, Song Woo-Jung, Lee Hwa Young
Department of Radiology, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Division of Allergy, Department of Internal Medicine, St Vincent's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
Lung. 2025 Jul 24;203(1):83. doi: 10.1007/s00408-025-00839-x.
This study investigated the prevalence of mucus plugs and their clinical associations in patients with chronic cough.
Chest computed tomography (CT) scans were evaluated in patients with chronic cough and healthy controls.
Among 82 patients with chronic cough and 71 controls, mucus plugs were identified in 31.7% and 5.6%, respectively. Higher mucus plug scores were associated with older age, elevated fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), and lower total Cough Hypersensitivity Questionnaire (CHQ) scores (all P < 0.05). Regression analysis revealed associations with higher FeNO and lower total CHQ scores (Model 1: R = 0.396, P < 0.001), and with higher immunoglobulin (Ig) E levels (Model 2: R = 0.388, P < 0.001). Mucus plug scores did not differ by 1-month treatment response.
Mucus plugs were prevalent in chronic cough and associated with type 2 airway inflammation. Their clinical significance warrants further investigation.
本研究调查了慢性咳嗽患者中黏液栓的患病率及其临床相关性。
对慢性咳嗽患者和健康对照者进行胸部计算机断层扫描（CT）评估。
在82例慢性咳嗽患者和71例对照者中，黏液栓的检出率分别为31.7%和5.6%。黏液栓评分较高与年龄较大、呼出一氧化氮分数（FeNO）升高以及咳嗽高敏问卷（CHQ）总分较低相关（均P<0.05）。回归分析显示，黏液栓评分与较高的FeNO和较低的CHQ总分相关（模型1：R=0.396，P<0.001），与较高的免疫球蛋白（Ig）E水平相关（模型2：R=0.388，P<0.001）。黏液栓评分在1个月的治疗反应中无差异。
黏液栓在慢性咳嗽中普遍存在，并与2型气道炎症相关。其临床意义值得进一步研究。
