Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Dr Laurie Slovarp
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Speech Language Hearing & Occupational Sciences
Abstract / Artist's Statement
This study includes individuals with Refractory Chronic Cough, who often experience significant disruption in quality of life such as depression, social isolation, and loss of work. Participants have previously been unresponsive to medical treatment, including behavioral cough suppression therapy. The aim of this research is to examine the effectiveness of using a molecule found within chili peppers-capsaicin-to enhance existing behavioral cough suppression techniques.
Participants were randomized to either a treatment or placebo group and evaluated through pretest, treatment and post-test measures. Pretest measures established the participants baseline, which included: the concentration of aerosolized capsaicin that elicits five coughs when inhaled through a nebulizer; outcome measures such as urge to cough, quality of life, self-reported cough triggers; and cough frequency. Over six sessions, groups received either progressive supra-threshold doses of capsaicin (treatment), or repeated sub-threshold doses (placebo) while practicing behavioral cough suppression techniques. Following treatment, post-test evaluations were administered to measure changes in outcome measures.
A total of 10 participants have been examined thus far. Clinically meaningful improvement has been reported in 6/7 within treatment and 1/3 within placebo. While this study is ongoing, the use of capsaicin alongside behavior cough suppression techniques has promising implications for treating those with chronic cough that do not respond to cough therapy alone.
Category
Social Sciences
Poster Video
Can a molecule within chili peppers enhance cough suppression therapy for individuals with chronic cough?
This study includes individuals with Refractory Chronic Cough, who often experience significant disruption in quality of life such as depression, social isolation, and loss of work. Participants have previously been unresponsive to medical treatment, including behavioral cough suppression therapy. The aim of this research is to examine the effectiveness of using a molecule found within chili peppers-capsaicin-to enhance existing behavioral cough suppression techniques.
Participants were randomized to either a treatment or placebo group and evaluated through pretest, treatment and post-test measures. Pretest measures established the participants baseline, which included: the concentration of aerosolized capsaicin that elicits five coughs when inhaled through a nebulizer; outcome measures such as urge to cough, quality of life, self-reported cough triggers; and cough frequency. Over six sessions, groups received either progressive supra-threshold doses of capsaicin (treatment), or repeated sub-threshold doses (placebo) while practicing behavioral cough suppression techniques. Following treatment, post-test evaluations were administered to measure changes in outcome measures.
A total of 10 participants have been examined thus far. Clinically meaningful improvement has been reported in 6/7 within treatment and 1/3 within placebo. While this study is ongoing, the use of capsaicin alongside behavior cough suppression techniques has promising implications for treating those with chronic cough that do not respond to cough therapy alone.