Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (647 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
A sudden, audible expulsion of air from the lungs through a partially closed glottis, preceded by inhalation. It is a protective response that serves to clear the trachea, bronchi, and/or lungs of irritants and secretions, or to prevent aspiration of foreign materials into the lungs.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Coughs.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Respiration Disorders; Signs and Symptoms, Respiratory
- Narrower topics
- Chronic Cough
- See also
- Antitussive Agents; Expectorants
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 20,244 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Cough” (counts retrieved 2026-11-04). 4,520 of them (22.3%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 6,049 records.
Reviews account for 2,438 records (12.0%) and meta-analyses for 268. Randomized controlled trials number 1,326 (6.6%) as a share of all records on the topic.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 6,049 |
| 2000-2009 | 4,105 |
| 2010-2019 | 5,570 |
| 2020 onward | 4,520 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 2,438 | 12.0% |
| Meta-analyses | 268 | 1.3% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 1,326 | 6.6% |
Method: PubMed query "Cough"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-11-04.
Reading the evidence in respiratory medicine
Research on airway and lung disease mixes lung-function tests, symptom diaries, imaging and hospital records, so what was measured and in whom matters as much as the result. Many conditions here, such as asthma and COPD, vary between people and over time, and exposure studies (smoking, pollution, workplace dust) show association rather than proof of cause. Nothing on this page is advice about treatment or inhalers; anyone with breathing difficulty should seek care from a qualified clinician. Check how the condition was defined, the severity of the people studied and whether outcomes were symptoms, lung function or hospital admissions.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mucus Hypersecretion in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Its Treatment | 2023 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 60 | cc by PMID 37457746 · DOI · PMC10344637 |
| The Efficacy and Safety of Gefapixant in a Phase 3b Trial of Patients with Recent-Onset Chronic Cough | 2023 | Randomized controlled trial Design not recorded in structured metadata | 31 | cc by PMID 36879087 · DOI · PMC10115701 |
| Longitudinal Cough Frequency Monitoring in Persistent Coughers: Daily Variability and Predictability | 2024 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 29 | cc by PMID 39085518 · DOI · PMC11427503 |
| From Psychogenic Cough to Somatic Cough Syndrome | 2026 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 2 | cc by PMID 41490778 · DOI · PMC12771670 |
Mucus Hypersecretion in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Its Treatment [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Most patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) present with hallmark features of airway mucus hypersecretion, including cough and expectoration.
- Closing excerpt
- Furthermore, we summarize the article with pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments as well as novel and interventional procedures to control CMH in COPD patients.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (168 words)
Most patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) present with hallmark features of airway mucus hypersecretion, including cough and expectoration. Airway mucus function as a native immune system of the lung that severs to trap particulate matter and pathogens and allows them to clear from the lung via cough and ciliary transport. Chronic mucus hypersecretion (CMH) is the main factor contributing to the increased risk of morbidity and mortality in specific subsets of COPD patients. It is, therefore, primarily important to develop medications that suppress mucus hypersecretions in these patients. Although there have been some advances in COPD treatment, more work remains to be done to better understand the mechanism underlying airway mucus hypersecretion and seek more effective treatments. This review article discusses the structure and significance of mucus in the lungs focusing on gel-forming mucins and the impacts of CMH in the lungs. Furthermore, we summarize the article with pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments as well as novel and interventional procedures to control CMH in COPD patients.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 37457746 · DOI · PMC10344637
The Efficacy and Safety of Gefapixant in a Phase 3b Trial of Patients with Recent-Onset Chronic Cough [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- PurposeWe evaluated gefapixant, a P2X3 receptor antagonist, in participants with recent-onset (≤ 12 months) refractory chronic cough (RCC) or unexplained chronic cough (UCC).
- Closing excerpt
- The most common AEs were related to taste and serious AEs were rare.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (163 words)
PurposeWe evaluated gefapixant, a P2X3 receptor antagonist, in participants with recent-onset (≤ 12 months) refractory chronic cough (RCC) or unexplained chronic cough (UCC).MethodsParticipants (≥ 18 years of age; ≥ 40 mm on a 100-mm cough severity visual analog scale [VAS] at screening and randomization) with chronic cough for ResultsThere were 415 participants randomized and treated (mean age 52.5 years; median [range] duration 7.5 [1-12] months): 209 received placebo and 206 received gefapixant 45 mg BID. A statistically significant treatment difference of 0.75 (95% CI: 0.06, 1.44; p = 0.034) for gefapixant vs. placebo was observed for change from baseline in LCQ total score at Week 12. The most common AE was dysgeusia (32% gefapixant vs. 3% placebo participants); serious AEs were rare (1.5% gefapixant vs. 1.9% placebo participants).ConclusionGefapixant 45 mg BID demonstrated significantly greater improvement in cough-specific health status from baseline compared to placebo, in participants with recent-onset chronic cough. The most common AEs were related to taste and serious AEs were rare.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 36879087 · DOI · PMC10115701
Longitudinal Cough Frequency Monitoring in Persistent Coughers: Daily Variability and Predictability [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- PurposeWe determined the cough counts and their variability in subjects with persistent cough for 30 days.
- Closing excerpt
- If confirmed in future studies, the clinical significance and the impact on the use of cough counts as a primary end-point of cough interventions of this variability need to be assessed.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (229 words)
PurposeWe determined the cough counts and their variability in subjects with persistent cough for 30 days.MethodsThe Hyfe cough tracker app uses the mobile phone microphone to monitor sounds and recognizes cough with artificial intelligence-enabled algorithms. We analyzed the daily cough counts including the daily predictability rates of 97 individuals who monitored their coughs over 30 days and had a daily cough rate of at least 5 coughs per hour.ResultsThe mean (median) daily cough rates varied from 6.5 to 182 (6.2 to 160) coughs per hour, with standard deviations (interquartile ranges) varying from 0.99 to 124 (1.30 to 207) coughs per hour among all subjects. There was a positive association between cough rate and variability, as subjects with higher mean cough rates (OLS) have larger standard deviations. The accuracy of any given day for predicting all 30 days is the One Day Predictability for that day, defined as the percentage of days when cough frequencies fall within that day's 95% confidence interval. Overall Predictability was the mean of the 30-One Day Predictability percentages and ranged from 95% (best predictability) to 30% (least predictability).ConclusionThere is substantial within-day and day-to-day variability for each subject with persistent cough recorded over 30 days. If confirmed in future studies, the clinical significance and the impact on the use of cough counts as a primary end-point of cough interventions of this variability need to be assessed.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 39085518 · DOI · PMC11427503
From Psychogenic Cough to Somatic Cough Syndrome [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Patients with various etiologies of chronic cough may have psychological disorders, and those with psychological disorders may also exhibit physical symptoms such as coughing.
- Closing excerpt
- This article provides a review of the definition changes, pathogenesis, and diagnostic and therapeutic points related to chronic cough with comorbid psychological disorders based on relevant studies of psychogenic cough and somatic cough syndrome.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (87 words)
Patients with various etiologies of chronic cough may have psychological disorders, and those with psychological disorders may also exhibit physical symptoms such as coughing. The terminology "psychogenic cough" and "somatic cough syndrome" have been used to describe chronic cough patients with underlying psychological issues, but both terms lack clear definitions and diagnostic criteria. This article provides a review of the definition changes, pathogenesis, and diagnostic and therapeutic points related to chronic cough with comorbid psychological disorders based on relevant studies of psychogenic cough and somatic cough syndrome.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 41490778 · DOI · PMC12771670
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article The global epidemiology of chronic cough in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis [5]
- Research article Pulmonary exacerbation in adults with bronchiectasis: a consensus definition for clinical research [6]
- Research article Classification of Cough as a Symptom in Adults and Management Algorithms: CHEST Guideline and Expert Panel Report [7]
- Research article Coughs and Sneezes: Their Role in Transmission of Respiratory Viral Infections, Including SARS-CoV-2 [8]
- Research article Cough hypersensitivity and chronic cough [9]
- Research article Airway clearance techniques in neuromuscular disorders: A state of the art review [10]
References
- Shah BK, Singh B, Wang Y, Xie S, Wang C. Mucus Hypersecretion in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Its Treatment. . 2023. PMID 37457746 · DOI · PMC10344637
- McGarvey L, Sher M, Shvarts YG, Lu S, Wu WC, Xu P, et al.. The Efficacy and Safety of Gefapixant in a Phase 3b Trial of Patients with Recent-Onset Chronic Cough. . 2023. PMID 36879087 · DOI · PMC10115701
- Chung KF, Chaccour C, Jover L, Galvosas M, Song WJ, Rudd M, et al.. Longitudinal Cough Frequency Monitoring in Persistent Coughers: Daily Variability and Predictability. . 2024. PMID 39085518 · DOI · PMC11427503
- Wang H, Zhang T, Yu L, Xu X. From Psychogenic Cough to Somatic Cough Syndrome. . 2026. PMID 41490778 · DOI · PMC12771670
- Song WJ, Chang YS, Faruqi S, Kim JY, Kang MG, Kim S, et al.. The global epidemiology of chronic cough in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Respir J. 2015. PMID 25657027 · DOI
- Hill AT, Haworth CS, Aliberti S, Barker A, Blasi F, Boersma W, et al.. Pulmonary exacerbation in adults with bronchiectasis: a consensus definition for clinical research. Eur Respir J. 2017. PMID 28596426 · DOI
- Irwin RS, French CL, Chang AB, Altman KW, CHEST Expert Cough Panel*. Classification of Cough as a Symptom in Adults and Management Algorithms: CHEST Guideline and Expert Panel Report. Chest. 2018. PMID 29080708 · DOI · PMC6689094
- Dhand R, Li J. Coughs and Sneezes: Their Role in Transmission of Respiratory Viral Infections, Including SARS-CoV-2. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2020. PMID 32543913 · DOI · PMC7462404
- Chung KF, McGarvey L, Song WJ, Chang AB, Lai K, Canning BJ, et al.. Cough hypersensitivity and chronic cough. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2022. PMID 35773287 · DOI · PMC9244241
- Chatwin M, Toussaint M, Gonçalves MR, Sheers N, Mellies U, Gonzales-Bermejo J, et al.. Airway clearance techniques in neuromuscular disorders: A state of the art review. Respir Med. 2018. PMID 29501255 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-11-04; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-11-04.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.