Development and validation of a novel questionnaire to describe and assess sensations and triggers associated with refractory and unexplained chronic cough.

Introduction: Refractory or unexplained chronic cough (RUCC) is a common clinical problem with no effective diagnostic tools. The Sensations and Triggers Provoking Cough questionnaire (TOPIC) was developed to characterise cough in RUCC versus cough in other conditions.

Methods: Content analysis of participant interviews discussing the sensations and triggers of chronic cough informed TOPIC development.