Cough Recording Technology

Cough sounds are readily identifiable by the human ear and therefore have the potential to be objectively quantified for the assessment of this common symptom. In recent years several systems for objectively measuring cough in ambulatory patients have been developed. Such objective measures are already providing insights into the mechanisms underlying coughing and the efficacy of novel and established anti-tussive agents. However, further development and validation is required to achieve accurate, fully automated cough detection systems applicable to large clinical trials and clinical practice. The aim of this review is to describe current cough recording and detection technologies, how these techniques have been applied in clinical studies and potential future developments.