Prevalence of Arnold Nerve Reflex in Adults and Children With Chronic Cough

The greater than 12 fold prevalence of Arnold nerve reflex in adults with chronic cough compared with healthy volunteers supports the concept of cough hypersensitivity syndrome (CHS), in which vagal hypersensitivity is proposed to underlie chronic refractory cough. The absence of increased prevalence among children with chronic cough suggests that cough hypersensitivity syndrome is an acquired condition, perhaps triggered by viral respiratory infection or other environmental factor.