These guidelines incorporate the recent advances in chronic cough pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment. The concept of cough hypersensitivity has allowed an umbrella term that explains the exquisite sensitivity of patients to external stimuli such a cold air, perfumes, smoke and bleach. Thus, adults with chronic cough now have a firm physical explanation for their symptoms based on vagal afferent hypersensitivity. Different treatable traits exist with cough variant asthma (CVA)/eosinophilic bronchitis responding to anti-inflammatory treatment and non-acid reflux being treated with promotility agents rather the anti-acid drugs. An alternative antitussive strategy is to reduce hypersensitivity by neuromodulation. Low-dose morphine is highly effective in a subset of patients with cough resistant to other treatments. Gabapentin and pregabalin are also advocated, but in clinical experience they are limited by adverse events. Perhaps the most promising future developments in pharmacotherapy are drugs which tackle neuronal hypersensitivity by blocking excitability of afferent nerves by inhibiting targets such as the ATP receptor (P2X3). Finally, cough suppression therapy when performed by competent practitioners can be highly effective. Children are not small adults and a pursuit of an underlying cause for cough is advocated. Thus, in toddlers, inhalation of a foreign body is common. Persistent bacterial bronchitis is a common and previously unrecognised cause of wet cough in children. Antibiotics (drug, dose and duration need to be determined) can be curative. A paediatric-specific algorithm should be used.

Many patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) complain of chronic refractory cough. Chronic cough is a distressing and disabling symptom with a major impact on quality of life. During recent years, progress has been made in gaining insight into the pathogenesis of cough in IPF, which is most probably "multifactorial" and influenced by mechanical, biochemical and neurosensory changes, with an important role for comorbidities as well. Clinical trials of cough treatment in IPF are emerging, and cough is increasingly included as a secondary end-point in trials assessing new compounds for IPF. It is important that such studies include adequate end-points to assess cough both objectively and subjectively. This article summarises the latest insights into chronic cough in IPF. It describes the different theories regarding the pathophysiology of cough, reviews the different methods to assess cough and deals with recent and future developments in the treatment of cough in IPF. @ERSpublications Latest insights into pathophysiology of cough, methods to assess cough and developments in treatment of cough in IPF http://ow.ly/YfVAH

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a devastating, progressive and ultimately fatal lung disease. The combination of poor prognosis, uncertainty of disease course and severe symptom burden heavily impacts patients' and their families' quality of life. Though new antifibrotic drugs have been shown to decrease disease progression, the effect on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has not been convincingly demonstrated. In a relentless disease such as IPF, striving to optimize HRQOL should complement the endeavour to prolong life. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of interventions improving symptoms and functionality for patients with IPF, and research focusing on symptom improvement, and assessing and optimizing HRQOL, is limited. This review summarizes the most recent insights into measuring and improving quality of life for patients with IPF, and discusses challenges in the management of this devastating disease. Moreover, we postulate a new model for continuous care in IPF - 'the ABCDE of IPF care': Assessing patients' needs; Backing patients by giving information and support; delivering Comfort care by focusing on treating symptoms and taking into account Comorbidities; striving to prolong life by Disease modification; helping and preparing patients and their caregivers for the eventual End-of-life events that are likely to occur.

Pulmonary fibrosis greatly impacts patients and their partners. Unmet needs of patients are increasingly acknowledged; the needs of partners often remain unnoticed. Little is known about the best way to educate patients and partners. We investigated pulmonary fibrosis patients' and partners' perspectives and preferences in care, and the differences in these between the Netherlands and Germany. Additionally, we evaluated whether interactive interviewing could be a novel education method in this population.Patients and partners were interviewed during pulmonary fibrosis patient information meetings. In the Netherlands, voting boxes were used and results were projected directly. In Germany, questionnaires were used.In the Netherlands, 278 patients and partners participated; in Germany, 51. Many participants experienced anxiety. Almost all experienced misunderstanding, because people do not know what pulmonary fibrosis is. All expressed a need for information, psychological support and care for partners. Use of the interactive voting system was found to be pleasant (70%) and informative (94%).This study improves the knowledge of care needs of patients with pulmonary fibrosis and their partners. There were no major differences between the Netherlands and Germany. Interactive interviewing could be an attractive method to acquire insights into the needs and preferences of patients and partners, while providing them with information at the same time.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive, fatal lung disease. In patients with IPF, cough is one of the most disabling symptoms and is an independent predictor of disease progression [1–3]. Cough in IPF is often non-responsive to antitussive therapy [4], and studies on cough are scarce and have unfortunately not yet resulted in effective treatments. Several observations suggest that pirfenidone, an anti-fibrotic drug, might decrease cough [5, 6]. We aimed to measure objectively the effect of pirfenidone on cough in patients with IPF and substantial cough. In addition, we assessed the effect of pirfenidone on subjective cough and quality of life (QoL) measures.

As the number of COVID-19 cases emerge, new complications associated with the disease are recognized. We present three cases of spontaneous pneumothorax in patients with COVID-19. They show that a pneumothorax can occur during different phases of disease, in patients without a pulmonary disease history and is not necessarily associated to positive pressure ventilation or severity of COVID-19. Although the exact causative mechanisms remain unknown, this observation might imply that extensive alveolar destruction due to COVID-19 may lead to bulla formation resulting in subsequent pneumothorax.

ObjectivesSarcoidosis is a chronic, multisystem disease with often a major impact on quality of life. Information on unmet needs of patients and their partners is lacking. We assessed needs and perceptions of sarcoidosis patients and their partners.MethodsDuring patient information meetings in 2015 and 2017 in the Erasmus University Medical Center, we interviewed patients and partners using interactive voting boxes. Patients responded anonymously to 17 questions. Answers were projected directly on the screen in the room.Results210 patients and 132 partners participated. Sarcoidosis has a subjective significant impact on lives of both patients and partners. The vast majority of patients and partners feel regularly misunderstood because of the general unawareness of sarcoidosis. Many patients and partners experience anxiety. Three-quarters of patients would like to see more attention and support for their psychological problems. Additionally, more supportive care for partners of sarcoidosis patients is warranted. Interactive interviewing was considered educational (91%) and pleasant (84%).DiscussionThis study improves awareness of needs and perceptions of patients with sarcoidosis and their partners. Sarcoidosis leads to anxiety and psychological distress and impairs well-being of patients and their partners. Attention for psychological support, better disease education, and more supportive care for partners is warranted.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive disease with a poor prognosis. The quality of life of patients is often impaired [1, 2]. In other chronic lung diseases, the use of eHealth to improve clinical outcomes has been increasingly investigated [3-5]. eHealth is defined as "the use of information and communication technologies for health" [6]. Use of eHealth may improve understanding of disease, promote self-management and facilitate longitudinal data collection for both care and research [3, 7]. Experience with eHealth tools in IPF is scarce and people are often hesitant to start online initiatives in this mostly elderly population. However, collecting data at home and facilitating consultations at a distance could hold great benefits for these patients, as they often struggle to visit hospital because of reduced mobility, dyspnoea and extra oxygen needs. Together with patients we developed IPF-online, an eHealth tool for patients with IPF, and evaluated the feasibility and user satisfaction of this tool.