Thromboxane antagonism and cough in chronic bronchitis

Abstract

BACKGROUND. The increased eicosanoid synthesis has been suggested as the underlying mechanism of chronic productive cough in patients with chronic bronchitis. METHOD: The effects of the orally active thromboxane A2 (TxA2) receptor antagonist seratrodast and the cysteinyl leukotrienes (cLTs) receptor antagonist pranlukast on cough response to inhaled capsaicin were examined in sixteen patients with stable chronic bronchitis. Capsaicin cough threshold, defined as the lowest concentration of capsaicin eliciting five or more coughs, was measured as an index of airway cough sensitivity. RESULTS: The cough threshold was significantly increased compared with placebo after four-week treatment with seratrodast, but not after treatment with pranlukast. CONCLUSIONS: TxA2, but not cLTs, may be a possible modulator augmenting airway cough sensitivity in chronic bronchitis. Thromboxane antagonism may be considered to be one of the therapeutic options for the treatment of chronic productive cough.