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New Study Findings on Nighttime Cough and Asthma Severity

In a groundbreaking study presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress 2026, Albus Health has unveiled significant results from research conducted at Leiden University Medical Centre. The study demonstrates a direct correlation between objective nighttime cough data and the worsening of asthma symptoms reported by patients during the day. This research highlights the potential for advanced monitoring technologies to improve asthma management.

The study utilized the Albus Home contactless monitoring system, which allowed participants to passively track their nocturnal cough from the comfort of their own homes. This innovative approach addresses a well-known challenge in clinical research: the difficulty in accurately collecting symptom data over time. Traditional methods often rely on patients’ ability to remember and articulate their symptoms, which can lead to inaccuracies and inconsistencies.

In the study, Dutch adults suffering from severe, uncontrolled asthma were monitored after undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation in Davos, Switzerland. Participants engaged with the Albus Home system, which passively recorded nocturnal cough for a duration of up to twelve months. In tandem, they logged daily assessments of their asthma severity via an eHealth application. Initial results from the first 13 out of 20 enrolled participants showed remarkable compliance, with a median of 9.5 hours of nightly monitoring across 335 nights. Interrupted data was predominantly linked to nights spent away from home, indicating that the monitoring device was both feasible and well-accepted by the users.

Crucially, researchers found a strong connection between elevated rates of nocturnal coughing and deteriorating asthma symptoms reported the following day. Specifically, for every five-fold increase in cough rates, the likelihood of worse symptom scores on the subsequent day was found to be more than 1.5 times higher, with statistical significance (OR 1.55). This association not only remained robust for two additional days following an increase in cough rates but also indicated individualized cough patterns among participants. This suggests that variations in nocturnal coughing may serve as an early warning signal for some patients experiencing worsening asthma conditions.

Fleur Meulmeester, the lead author from Leiden University Medical Centre, emphasized the challenges associated with monitoring nocturnal symptoms in asthma patients, stating, "Nocturnal symptoms are a significant and burdensome aspect of asthma, yet consistently tracking them over extended periods has been tough. This study confirms that objective data on nocturnal cough can significantly correlate with self-reported symptoms, showcasing the promise of passive monitoring technologies for enhancing asthma care."

The research utilized the initial version of the Albus Home platform, while the latest iteration offers even more comprehensive monitoring capabilities, including a broader spectrum of physiological and environmental data. This advancement not only aids in identifying disease activity but also provides insights into treatment efficacy.

Today, Albus Home is utilized by several leading pharmaceutical companies and is operational in 50 countries around the globe, indicating a strong foothold in the market for chronic disease management solutions. As the healthcare industry continues to evolve, studies like this foster hope for improving chronic condition monitoring and patient outcomes through the integration of innovative technologies.

As more data becomes available, it raises critical implications for the future of asthma management and reinforces the need for reliable, objective symptom monitoring tools. Albus Health remains a key player in this transformative space, aiming to enhance the quality of care for asthma patients worldwide.