Chronic cough can be passed down from parents to children, a new study suggests

In a recent study published in ERJ Open Research , researchers investigated the heritability of chronic cough, considering different types of cough (productive vs. nonproductive). Their findings indicate chronic cough may be heritable, with the kind of cough in parents showing associations with the same type of cough in their offspring.

Study: Heritability of cough across two generations: the RHINESSA study . Image Credit: Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock.com Background Chronic cough affects about 10% of the population and can negatively affect the quality of life while resulting in lost work days.

It is thought to result when the reflex related to coughing becomes sensitized, known as cough hypersensitivity syndrome. However, the exact causes of this phenomenon remain unclear. Some research suggests that certain biological processes and certain genetic factors may increase the chance of chronic cough.

For example, a specific genetic variant called RE-RFC1 has been linked to chronic cough in some patients. Despite this, little research has been done on whether chronic cough is inherited, especially when considering different types of cough, such as productive cough, which produces mucus and or phlegm and thus helps clear the respiratory tract of irritants or infections, and nonproductive cough, also known as dry cough. About the study In this study, researchers aimed to determine if chronic cough among parents is linked to similar conditions in their children, focusing on whether the .