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Background: The cough reflex in childbearing women has been found to be more sensitive to chemical stimuli than that in other populations. However, the effect of age and sex on the cough reflex threshold (CRT) triggered by mechanical stimuli has not been studied.

Aim: Our objective was to explore the association between age and sex, and CRT triggered by mechanical stimuli (air pulses) in childbearing women using a previously validated laryngopharyngeal endoscopic esthesiometer and laser rangefinder (LPEER).

Methods: A cohort of 118 subjects, half of whom were female (49%), aged 19-95 years (a mean of 55.7 years), were prospectively recruited from two tertiary care university hospitals. Subjects with upper aerodigestive symptoms, i.e., dysphagia, rhinitis, cough and gastroesophageal reflux (GER), and healthy subjects, were included. Factors that could potentially influence CRT were clinically assessed …