Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), particularly in patients experiencing chronic cough, is associated with substantial impairment in quality of life, yet effective therapies for IPF-associated cough remain limited. To address this unmet need, a study evaluated the efficacy of nalbuphine extended release (ER), a κ opioid receptor agonist and μ-opioid receptor antagonist, in reducing cough severity compared with placebo in 223 patients with IPF-associated cough.
The study found that nalbuphine ER treatment produced dose-dependent reductions in objective cough frequency among patients with IPF-associated cough. In the 27 mg, 54 mg, and 108 mg twice-daily groups, the mean relative decreases in cough count were 47.9% [from 24.6 to 11.9 24-hour cough frequency (coughs/h)], 53.4% (from 28.0 to 14.9 coughs/h), and 60.2% (from 31.5 to 11.9 coughs/h), respectively, compared with a 16.9%…
