In addition to the diminished cough reflex sensitivity demonstrated herein, other factors may contribute to further compromise the effectiveness of cough in current-smokers.

Here’s a look at how and why we cough and some of the ways that coughing can go wrong. What is the cough reflex, and how does it work?

Cough hypersensitivity in RCC and UCC is attributed to changes in cough pathways within the central and peripheral limbs of cough reflex pathways.

The P2X3 receptor in the cough reflex pathway is a rational target for treating chronic cough, and it has been validated in multiple clinical studies.

A comprehensive review of cough hypersensitivity has detailed the mechanistic pathways that underpin excessive coughing, offering a framework for the personalised treatment of chronic cough [4].

The presence of bi-directional crosstalk between the oesophagus and airways in some patients with cough, along with heightened cough reflex sensitivity, supports the notion that both reflux ...

The findings advance understanding of cough reflex hypersensitivity as a nervous system-mediated process and open up opportunities for the development of new targeted treatments.

Conclusions: Cough reflex sensitivity is significantly diminished in young, healthy, male current-smokers compared to a similar population of nonsmokers.