J Asthma Allergy Clin Immunol.  2000 Dec;20(6):895-905.

Relationship of eosinophils in induced sputum with bronchial responsiveness to methacholine or capsaicin and with responses to anti-asthmatic treatment in chronic cough patients

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • 2Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The value of the induced sputum examination in chronic cough has not been determined. We performed this study to investigate the relationship between eosinophil percentage on induced sputum and bronchial responsiveness to methacholine or capsaicin, and responses to anti-asthmatic treatment in chronic cough patients.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
Forty-seven patients with chronic cough persisting for more than 1 month without current wheezing or dyspnea were studied. According to the eosinophil percentage on induced sputum, the subjects were divided into two groups: group A (sputum eosinophil > or = 3%) and group B (sputum eosinophil < 3%). Methacholine bronchial provocation test (MBPT) and capsaicin challenge, and responses to anti-asthmatic treatment were compared between the two groups.
RESULTS
Group A consisted of 26 subjects and group B consisted of 21 subjects. There were no differences in sex, clinical characteristics of cough, atopy prevalence, and peripheral eosinophil counts except serum IgE level between the two groups. MBPT positivity was much higher in group A than group B (46.2% vs 0%, p<0.001), but there was no difference in capsaicin test positivity (44.0% vs 50.0%). Group A showed much higher response rates to anti-asthmatic treatments than in group B (73.1% vs 19.0%, p<0.001).
CONCLUSION
Eosinophilic airway inflammation in chronic cough was related to methacholine bronchial hyperresponsiveness, but not to capsaicin cough threshold. Induced sputum eosinophil percentage was a good indicator in predicting the response to anti-asthmatic treatment in most chronic cough patients.

Keyword

Induced sputum; eosinophil; chronic cough; methacholine; capsaicin; asthma

MeSH Terms

Asthma
Bronchial Provocation Tests
Capsaicin*
Cough*
Dyspnea
Eosinophils*
Humans
Immunoglobulin E
Inflammation
Methacholine Chloride*
Prevalence
Respiratory Sounds
Sputum*
Capsaicin
Immunoglobulin E
Methacholine Chloride
Full Text Links
  • JAACI
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr