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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma are chronic respiratory diseases with high prevalence and mortality that significantly alter the quality of life in affected patients. While the cellular and molecular mechanisms engaged in the development and evolution of these two conditions are different, COPD and asthma share a wide array of symptoms and clinical signs that may impede differential diagnosis. However, the distinct signaling pathways regulating cough and airway hyperresponsiveness employ the interaction of different cells, molecules, and receptors. Transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 (TRPV1) plays a major role in cough and airway inflammation. Consequently, its agonist, capsaicin, is of substantial interest in exploring the cellular effects and regulatory pathways that mediate these respiratory conditions. Increasingly more studies emphasize the use of capsaicin for the inhalation cough challenge, yet the involvement of TRPV1 in cough, bronchoconstriction, and the initiation of inflammation has not been entirely revealed. This review outlines a comparative perspective on the effects of capsaicin and its receptor in the pathophysiology of COPD and asthma, underlying the complex entanglement of molecular signals that bridge the alteration of cellular function with the multitude of clinical effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents various studies related to cough. Chronic cough is an inflammatory condition of the airways and inhaled steroids are often used empirically as a therapeutic trial. The aim of this study was to determine if non-invasive tests of airway inflammation, such as induced sputum cell counts, exhaled nitric oxide (NO) and exhaled carbon monoxide as well as nasal NO can predict a successful response to inhaled steroid treatment. Cough is commonly associated with symptoms of asthma. However, there is conflicting evidence as to whether cough and bronchoconstriction are directly related.