Sex-related disparities in cough-associated symptoms across different age groups.

Background: Sex-related disparities in the prevalence of chronic cough have been consistently reported globally, with varying male-to-female ratios.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate sex-related differences by comparing correlations between cough-related symptoms in males and females of different age groups.

Design: Adult patients with chronic cough who completed the Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ) were recruited from 16 respiratory centers.

Methods: Correlation networks were constructed based on Spearman's correlation coefficients in males and females of various age groups. The distinct relationships of cough-related symptoms between subgroups were validated by an independent cohort.

Results: A total of 255 patients were enrolled in this study (male-to-female ratio, 1:1.71). The following LCQ items were highly correlated: embarrassment and interference with daily work, anxiety, and interference with overall life enjoyment/feeling of being fed up, interference with daily work and overall life enjoyment, interference with overall life enjoyment and feeling of being fed up, and feeling of being fed up and annoyance to partner/family/friends. The patterns of these correlations between LCQ items varied in males and females of different ages. The strongest interrelationship was observed in male patients aged >50 years old, which was similar to those in the validation cohort.

Conclusion: The correlation patterns between cough-related symptoms vary significantly according to age and sex. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the development of cough-related symptoms may facilitate sex- and age-specific strategies for chronic cough.