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Plasma substance P levels in patients with persistent cough
Kojiro Otsuka1, Akio Niimi, Hisako Matsumoto
1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
Respiration; International Review of Thoracic Diseases
|August 18, 2011
Summary
Elevated Substance P (SP) levels are linked to persistent cough in humans. These elevated SP levels may correlate with airway sensitivity in individuals with asthmatic cough.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonology
- Clinical Research
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Substance P (SP) plays a role in cough pathogenesis in animal models.
- Human studies on SP's role in clinical cough are limited, leaving its relevance unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between plasma Substance P (SP) levels and persistent cough in human patients.
- To explore potential correlations between SP levels and various clinical parameters related to cough.
Main Methods:
- Plasma SP levels were measured using ELISA in 82 patients with persistent cough (≥3 weeks) and 15 healthy controls.
- Patients were categorized into asthmatic cough (n=61) and nonasthmatic cough (n=21) groups.
- Correlations were assessed between SP levels and methacholine airway hyperresponsiveness, capsaicin cough sensitivity, sputum inflammatory cell counts, and pulmonary function.
Main Results:
- Plasma SP levels were significantly higher in both asthmatic and nonasthmatic cough patients compared to controls (p=0.003 and p=0.038, respectively).
- No significant difference in SP levels was observed between asthmatic and nonasthmatic cough groups (p=0.90).
- Plasma SP levels correlated with airway sensitivity (methacholine threshold) in asthmatic cough patients (r=-0.37, p=0.005), but not with other measured parameters.
Conclusions:
- Increased plasma Substance P (SP) levels are associated with persistent cough in humans.
- Elevated SP may be linked to airway sensitivity, particularly in patients with asthmatic cough.
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