• Federico Lavorini, Tito Pantaleo, Pietro Geri, Donatella Mutolo, Massimo Pistolesi, and Giovanni A Fontana.
• Dipartimento di Area Critica Medico Chirurgica, Unità Funzionale di Medicina Respiratoria, Università di Firenze, Viale G.B. Morgagni 85, 50134 Firenze, Italy.
• Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2007 Jun 15;156(3):331-9.

AbstractAirway receptors mediate cough and ventilatory adjustments. Simultaneous assessment of cough sensory-motor components and changes in breathing pattern may provide insights into the receptor(s) prevailingly stimulated by inhaled irritants. Nineteen subjects inhaled capsaicin and fog up to threshold concentrations for cough. Cough intensity, respiratory sensations and changes in breathing pattern induced by the two irritants were compared. Capsaicin and fog cough threshold values did not correlate. Coughing induced by both agents was preceded by qualitatively similar sensations and by significant increases in minute ventilation and respiratory drive due to selective increases in tidal volume (P<0.01). Cough intensity was similar with both agents. Cough frequency and the intensity of the urge to cough were higher with capsaicin (P<0.01). The lack of correlation between fog and capsaicin cough threshold values suggests differences in the neural mechanisms activated. The selective increase in tidal volume suggests prevailing involvement of rapidly adapting receptors. The stronger sensations evoked by capsaicin may contribute to the higher cough frequency observed with this agent.

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