[Effects of a thromboxane-synthetase inhibitor in patients with chronic persistent coughing and no airwayhyperresponsiveness].

We studied the effects of the thromboxane-synthetase inhibitor ozagrel in 22 patients with chronic persistent coughing who did not have airwayhyperresponsiveness. Treatment with ozagrel (400 mg/day for 2 weeks) reduced coughing in 12 patients. Sputum from the patients in whom ozagrel was effective had a higher percentage of lymphocytes and a lower percentage of neutrophils than did sputum from those in whom ozagrel was not effective. Furthermore, in the former group the capsaicin cough threshold increased but in the latter it did not change consistently. These data indicate that thromboxane A2 may contribute to coughing associated with lymphocytic airway inflammation.