Cough frequency in COPD with frequent sputum production

Not much is known about cough frequency and characteristics in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the effect of cough events on sleep efficiency.

Study

  • A group of researchers assessed the relationship between nocturnal cough frequency and sleep disturbance in patients with COPD and regular sputum production.
  • The study was a sub-study of the baseline population from the O-COPD trial, which recruited 45 stable patients with COPD with a productive cough.
  • The participants were stratified according to the self-sputum scale into daily sputum producers (DSP) or not daily sputum producers (NDSP).

Study findings

  • The frequency of cough was higher during day than at night in the DSP group
  • Increased frequencies of getting out of the bed and body transitions in the DSP group
  • Cough frequency at night was significantly associated with getting out of the bed, sitting transitions, and total body transitions

Subjective and objective cough monitoring in patients with COPD offers a better understanding of cough severity and frequency, and associated disturbances such as sleep disturbance and frequent body movements at night.

Reference: Alghamdi SM, Philip KE, Alsulayyim AS, et al. Presented at American Thoracic Society International Conference, May 13-18, 2022