Serene image of a child sleeping, symbolizing nighttime cough analysis in cystic fibrosis and primary ciliary dyskinesia.

Nighttime Cough in CF and PCD: What You Need to Know

Elliot Brynn in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 4 min read.

"A new study reveals how nocturnal cough patterns differ in cystic fibrosis and primary ciliary dyskinesia, offering potential for improved disease management."

Coughing is more than just an annoyance; it's a critical function that keeps our airways clear and our lungs healthy. For individuals with chronic respiratory conditions like cystic fibrosis (CF) and primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), cough becomes a frequent and often disruptive symptom. Understanding the nuances of cough in these conditions is essential for better managing the disease and improving patients' quality of life.

While cough is a common complaint among CF and PCD patients, it's often challenging to assess its impact and severity. Subjective reports from patients can be unreliable, and traditional methods for evaluating lung health may not fully capture the cough's complexities. This is where objective cough monitoring comes in—a promising tool for gaining deeper insights into cough patterns and their relationship to disease progression.

A recent study published in Respiration aimed to explore the differences in nighttime cough patterns between healthy individuals, CF patients, and PCD patients. By using a microphone-based monitoring system, the researchers sought to determine whether cough frequency is linked to disease severity and if there are distinct cough characteristics that differentiate CF from PCD. The findings of this study could pave the way for more targeted treatments and improved clinical trial endpoints.

Unraveling the Mystery: How Cough Differs in CF and PCD?

Serene image of a child sleeping, symbolizing nighttime cough analysis in cystic fibrosis and primary ciliary dyskinesia.

The study, a prospective observational one, involved 25 participants in each of three groups: healthy subjects (HS), patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), and patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD). Over two consecutive nights, researchers used the LEOSound® Monitor, a microphone-based system, to meticulously count coughs during the participants' sleep. This allowed for a detailed analysis of nocturnal cough patterns in each group.

The results revealed significant differences in cough frequency among the groups:

Healthy Subjects (HS): Showed minimal nighttime coughing, with a median of 0.0 coughs per hour on both nights.
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Patients: Experienced a higher cough frequency, with a median of 1.3 coughs per hour on the first night and 2.3 coughs per hour on the second night.
Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) Patients: Had an intermediate cough frequency, with a median of 0.5 coughs per hour on the first night and 0.2 coughs per hour on the second night.

These findings highlight that CF patients cough significantly more than both healthy subjects and PCD patients during the night. Furthermore, PCD patients also experience more nighttime coughing compared to healthy individuals. This suggests that nocturnal cough is a prominent symptom in both CF and PCD, but it manifests differently in each condition. A multivariable analysis pinpointed forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) as an independent risk factor for increased cough frequency, emphasizing the link between lung function and cough.

Implications for Treatment and Future Research

This study sheds light on the unique cough patterns in CF and PCD patients, suggesting that cough frequency is associated with disease severity. The finding that cough epochs/h showed higher reliability than coughs/h indicates that it may be a more useful endpoint in clinical trials. This could lead to improved methods for assessing treatment effectiveness and developing new therapies for these conditions. Further research is needed to explore the potential of cough monitoring as a tool for personalized medicine in CF and PCD.

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Everything You Need To Know

What is the main difference in nighttime cough patterns between Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) patients?

The study revealed distinct nighttime cough patterns. Individuals with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) exhibited a significantly higher cough frequency compared to both healthy subjects and patients with Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) during the night. PCD patients also coughed more than healthy individuals, but less than those with CF. Specifically, the median coughs per hour for CF patients were 1.3 and 2.3 on the two nights, while PCD patients had 0.5 and 0.2, respectively. Healthy subjects showed minimal coughing.

How was cough monitored in the study, and why is this approach significant?

The study employed a microphone-based monitoring system called LEOSound® Monitor to count coughs during sleep. This objective method allowed researchers to gain deeper insights into cough patterns in Cystic Fibrosis (CF), Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD), and healthy subjects. Unlike subjective reports, objective monitoring provides a more reliable assessment of cough frequency and its relationship to disease severity, potentially leading to improved disease management and more effective treatments.

What role does lung function play in nighttime coughing for individuals with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD)?

The study found a significant link between lung function and cough frequency. The analysis pinpointed forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) as an independent risk factor for increased cough frequency. This indicates that as lung function declines, the likelihood and frequency of nighttime coughing increases in both Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) patients, highlighting the importance of lung health management in these conditions.

What are the implications of this study's findings for the treatment of Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD)?

The study's findings suggest that nighttime cough monitoring could be a valuable tool for assessing treatment effectiveness and developing new therapies. The identification of distinct cough patterns in Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) patients may lead to more targeted treatments. The study also suggests that cough epochs/h may be a more reliable endpoint than coughs/h in clinical trials, potentially leading to improved methods for evaluating treatment outcomes and personalizing medical care for these conditions.

How does the study contribute to a better understanding of nocturnal cough in Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD)?

The study enhances the understanding of nocturnal cough in Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) by providing an objective assessment of cough patterns. It highlights the differences in cough frequency between healthy subjects, CF patients, and PCD patients, and links cough frequency to disease severity. The use of the LEOSound® Monitor allowed for precise measurement of coughs during sleep, revealing that CF patients cough significantly more than both healthy subjects and PCD patients at night. It also emphasizes the importance of considering lung function when evaluating and treating these conditions. Furthermore, the study suggests that cough epochs/h is a more reliable measure in clinical trials. The study's findings could pave the way for more targeted treatments and improve clinical trial endpoints.