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Open research questions in Respiratory and Cough-Related Research

142 gap statements mined from Respiratory and Cough-Related Research papers in our 4.5M-paper local library, which holds 507 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.

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What the literature leaves open

  • The author highlights the need for further empirical study in this area, particularly in relation to the long-term consequences of nasal spray overuse.

    Nasal spray addiction: Further thoughts and observations –A qualitative analysis of addiction components in “rhinitis medicamentosa” by Lakatos et al. (2025) · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies could investigate the long-term effects of the nasal spray. Research could be conducted to compare the efficacy of different types of nasal sprays. Studies could explore the use of the nasal spray in other populations (e.g. older children, adults).

    Efficacy and safety of seawater-based nasal irrigation on nasal congestion in infants and toddlers with common cold: a randomized controlled trial · 2026 · DOI

  • Lack of robust clinical evidence supporting the use of hypertonic seawater solutions as an adjunct to standard care in infants and toddlers with the common cold. Need for effective and safe treatments for nasal congestion in this specific pediatric population.

    Efficacy and safety of seawater-based nasal irrigation on nasal congestion in infants and toddlers with common cold: a randomized controlled trial · 2026 · DOI

  • The gap in the current literature is the lack of understanding of the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and nocturnal tongue biting. The study aims to fill this gap by reporting a case of recurrent nocturnal tongue biting caused by severe obstructive sleep apnea. The study highlights the importance of considering obstructive sleep apnea in the differential diagnosis of nocturnal tongue biting.

    Recurrent nocturnal tongue biting mimicking epilepsy: a case report of severe obstructive sleep apnea · 2026 · DOI

  • Limited understanding of the risk factors associated with chronic cough.

    Long-Term Prognosis of Adult Patients with Persistent Cough Post COVID-19 and Its Risk Factors: A Nationwide Prospective Study · 2026 · DOI

  • The need for a better understanding of the disease burden associated with RUCC. The limitations of current therapeutic options for RUCC. The importance of considering the patient's lived experience and time in evaluating the burden of chronic cough.

    Burden of Chronic Cough and Refractory/Unexplained Chronic Cough in South Korea: A Multicenter, Observational Study (CHORUS) · 2026 · DOI

  • Limited generalizability due to specific patient population. No control group for comparison.

    The CoughRetrain Program: Restoring Control Through a Non-pharmacological Intervention · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of established cutoff values for visual analogue scale scores corresponding to minimal clinically important differences in chronic cough. The need for accurate assessment of cough severity, impact, and treatment response in chronic cough.

    Clinically Meaningful Differences for Cough-Specific Visual Analogue Scale in Chronic Cough: A Real-World Study · 2026 · DOI

  • The current understanding of the relationship between FeNO and cough outcomes is limited. There is a need to investigate the predictive performance of FeNO for achieving treatment response in chronic cough. The study aims to address this gap by exploring the role of FeNO as a treatable trait in chronic cough.

    FeNO as a Treatable Trait in Chronic Cough: Insights from the PROCOUGH Study · 2026 · DOI

  • Lack of patient-anchored evidence for cough control classification thresholds. Limited generalizability of prior work on categorized thresholds for LCQ scores to different populations.

    Patient-Anchored Cough Visual Analogue Scale and Leicester Cough Questionnaire Thresholds for Cough Control Classification in Chronic Cough · 2026 · DOI

  • It highlights the need for new digital measures that can accurately capture the burden of cough. The study notes the importance of evaluating refractory/unexplained chronic cough holistically, using a combination of objective and patient-reported outcomes.

    A Scoping Literature Review of Digital Measures and Patient-Reported Outcomes for Refractory/Unexplained Chronic Cough: Assessment of Clinical Trials and Real-World Clinical Practice · 2026 · DOI

  • The clinical characteristics of COVID-19, particularly the cough profiles, are not well understood, especially with the emergence of the Omicron variant. There is a lack of studies on the prevalence, severity, and associated risk factors of severe and persistent cough in individuals with COVID-19 during the latest wave of the Omicron variant in China.

    Profiles of Cough and Associated Risk Factors in Nonhospitalized Individuals With SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant Infection: Cross-Sectional Online Survey in China · 2024 · DOI

  • The Cough Hypersensitivity Questionnaire (CHQ) was developed to systematically assess characteristic triggers and abnormal sensory perceptions; however, its structural and clinical relevance across respiratory diseases remains unclear.

    Exploring cough hypersensitivity patterns across respiratory diseases · 2026 · DOI

  • However, no consensus-based guidance currently exists on the indications, procedural standards, or training requirements for FNL performed by pulmonologists.

    Indications, procedural standards, and training requirements for flexible nasolaryngoscopy in pulmonology – a Delphi study protocol · 2026 · DOI

  • Among the challenges faced in outpatient management of CB are misdiagnosis—including both overdiagnosis and underdiagnosis—insufficient utilization of spirometry, inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions, the neglect of non-pharmacological treatment modalities, a lack of standardized protocols, and various organizational barriers.

    Chronic bronchitis in outpatient practice: unsolved diagnostic problems and therapeutic challenges · 2026 · DOI

  • Despite its prevalence, there is no consensus among healthcare professionals on its definition, diagnosis, or classification.

    How is dysfunctional breathing characterised in the clinical literature? A scoping review · 2025 · DOI

  • However, MP of expiratory muscle strength training (EMST) and voluntary cough (VC) has not been explored.

    Motor Imagery Practice to Improve Respiratory and Cough Function · 2025 · DOI

  • Developing a theory-informed telehealth behavioral program that addresses the complex needs of individuals with refractory chronic cough. Ensuring the feasibility and acceptability of the program for individuals with refractory chronic cough. Evaluating the preliminary clinical outcomes of the program in a small sample of participants.

    The CoughRetrain Program: Restoring Control Through a Non-pharmacological Intervention · 2026 · DOI

  • Internal CHQ correlations were sparse, and no significant associations were observed between CHQ and NRS, indicating a dissociation between hypersensitivity features and perceived severity.

    Exploring cough hypersensitivity patterns across respiratory diseases · 2026 · DOI

  • Chronic cough may be a result of neural hypersensitivity due to changes in both the peripheral and the central nervous systems, although the exact mechanisms underlying its pathogenesis are not completely understood.

    Kappa and Mu Opioid Receptors in Chronic Cough: Current Evidence and Future Treatment · 2025 · DOI

  • Future studies should incorporate time and lived experience to capture the true burden of chronic cough - Evaluation of the long-term tolerability of therapeutic options for RUCC - Investigation of the shared neural mechanisms relevant…

    Burden of Chronic Cough and Refractory/Unexplained Chronic Cough in South Korea: A Multicenter, Observational Study (CHORUS) · 2026 · DOI

  • Lack of standardized methodology for validation, - Inconsistent reporting of inter-rater agreement, annotation protocols, and cough definitions, - Variability in training data, model architecture, and evaluation metrics limited comparability across…

    Validation Approaches for Cough Monitoring Tools: A Scoping Review · 2026 · DOI

  • Development of standardized validation methodologies, - Investigation of clinical validity and real-world usability of cough monitoring systems, - Comparison of different validation…

    Validation Approaches for Cough Monitoring Tools: A Scoping Review · 2026 · DOI

  • Comparative studies involving healthy individuals and patients with chronic cough of different etiologies could clarify whether this association is specific to GERC or represents a broader feature of chronic cough - Prospective longitudinal studies with repeated assessments could further establish whether within-patient changes in esophageal motility parallel changes in cough…

    Cough Hypersensitivity in Gastroesophageal Reflux-Induced Chronic Cough: Insights from Reflux Monitoring and High-Resolution Manometry · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies are needed to confirm the efficacy of ivy leaf preparations, - Investigation of the secretolytic mechanism in humans is required, - More research is needed to fully understand the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects, - Clinical trials with larger sample sizes and longer durations…

    From Traditional Remedy to Evidence-Based Phytotherapeutic Agent: Hedera helix L. in Respiratory Medicine · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Respiratory and Cough-Related Research

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Open questions raised by papers listed on this page include: (1) Further studies could investigate the long-term effects of the nasal spray (“Efficacy and safety of seawater-based nasal irrigation on nasal congestion in…”, 2026); (2) The gap in the current literature is the lack of understanding of the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and nocturnal tongue biting (“Recurrent nocturnal tongue biting mimicking epilepsy: a case report of severe…”, 2026); (3) The lack of established cutoff values for visual analogue scale scores corresponding to minimal clinically important differences in chronic cough (“Clinically Meaningful Differences for Cough-Specific Visual Analogue Scale in…”, 2026); (4) There is a need to investigate the predictive performance of FeNO for achieving treatment response in chronic cough (“FeNO as a Treatable Trait in Chronic Cough: Insights from the PROCOUGH Study”, 2026); (5) Lack of patient-anchored evidence for cough control classification thresholds (“Patient-Anchored Cough Visual Analogue Scale and Leicester Cough Questionnaire…”, 2026). 142 gap statements have been mined from Respiratory and Cough-Related Research papers in our 4.5M-paper local library, which holds 507 papers on the topic; the gaps come from whichever of those papers state one. They are mostly the research gaps the authors state and the papers' abstracts, plus future-work, limitations and challenges passages. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one, so you can read the original claim in context.

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