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Cough is a physiological defense mechanism. However, excessive cough is known to have a great impact on quality of life. Cough is considered to be chronic when it lasts longer than 8 weeks. In the Netherlands, the prevalence is 10.9%. The concept as a whole is called 'cough hypersensitivity' in which there is a hypersensitivity of the cough reflex to aspecific stimuli. Specific treatment of the phenotype is important. If no specific phenotype is found it is called 'unexplained chronic cough' (UCC) and if symptoms persist despite treatment it is called 'chronic refractory cough' (CRC). Neuromodulating drugs are the main treatment in CRC. However, a suitable condition often cannot be achieved because of severe side effect and great interindividual variability in pharmacokinetics. New drugs, P2X3-antagonists, are being developed. These drugs mediate in a late phase of the cough reflex and are thereby considered to have fewer side effects.

Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) often fear of dying from suffocation. This fear is also common in relatives and caregivers. Research has, however, shown that ALS patients seldom die from suffocation. More than 90% of all ALS patients die peacefully. Death is mostly preceded by a peracute decrease in consciousness due to hypercapnia caused by alveolar hypoventilation. Mechanical ventilation, especially at night, can reduce the symptoms caused by hypoventilation. However, little by little, the effectiveness of ventilation may decrease to such an extent that it is no longer useful or desirable. Termination of long-standing ventilation requires careful preparation. Intensive guidance of the relevant medical, practical and ethical aspects are necessary. Particularly in the pre-terminal and terminal phases, support given to an ALS patient requires a pro-active attitude on the part of the treating physician. To this end, physicians may seek advice from the Dutch ALS Center, a palliative care consultation team, a hospice physician or a center for home mechanical ventilation.

Initiated by IKNL (Integraal Kankercentrum Nederland), a multidisciplinary guideline for cancer rehabilitation for adult oncology patients has been developed. The guideline describes the rehabilitation care of adult patients with cancer, during and after treatment. The guideline focuses on (a) prevalence of complaints either resulting from cancer or the treatment, (b) detection of these complaints and indicated referral, (c) the intake procedure before cancer rehabilitation, (d) intervention and evaluation within cancer rehabilitation and (e) the importance of patient empowerment. The guideline is directed at all professionals giving care to patients with cancer. It concerns those (such as medical specialists, general practitioners and nurses) who are responsible for detecting cancer-related complaints and for referral to cancer rehabilitation, as well as health care professionals involved in cancer rehabilitation care (such as consultants in rehabilitation medicine, physiotherapists and psychologists). The main goal of the guideline is that every cancer patient or ex-cancer patient with (residual) complaints resulting from cancer or its treatment receives timely and appropriate cancer rehabilitation.