RecruitingOBSERVATIONAL

Neuroinflammatory Interactions of ATP and P2X3 Receptor in the Airways of Chronic Cough Patients

If you experience a cough that lasts for more than 8 weeks, you have what doctors call a chronic cough. This study wants to find out more about why some people get this type of cough and why it's so hard to treat. Researchers believe that inflammation in the lungs and a natural body chemical known as adenosine triphosphate (ATP) might play a role in causing chronic cough. To understand this better, they will compare 10 people with a long-term cough to 8 healthy individuals who don't have one. By learning more about the causes, they hope to find better ways to help people whose chronic cough hasn't responded to other treatments.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

Imperial College London

Enrolment target

Start

01 Oct 2023

Estimated completion

31 Dec 2025

Chronic Cough

What is this study about?

Chronic cough is a really common problem that can affect people for a long time. It can be very frustrating because, even with a doctor's help, it's often difficult to find out what's causing it or to get effective treatment. Sometimes, doctors can identify a reason for the cough and treat that, but in many cases, the cough doesn't go away, or no clear cause is ever found. When this happens, doctors might call it a 'refractory', 'idiopathic', or 'unexplained' cough.

More recently, experts have started to think that chronic cough might be linked to something called 'hypersensitivity'. This means that the body's cough reflex becomes overly sensitive, so things that wouldn't normally cause a cough – like changes in temperature, laughing, talking for a while, aerosol sprays, or smoky air – can trigger a coughing fit. This extra sensitivity might be caused by damage to the nerves in the lungs or brain, possibly from infections, certain chemicals, or inflammation. There are complex systems in our bodies, including different chemicals and proteins, that control how sensitive our cough reflex is.

This study is trying to understand if inflammation in the lungs, and a specific body chemical called adenosine triphosphate (ATP), are involved in making the cough reflex overly sensitive. Researchers are particularly interested in ATP because a new medicine, Gefapixant, which targets a special part of the body's cells called the P2X3 receptor (which ATP affects), has shown really promising results. It reduced coughing by a lot in people with unexplained chronic cough. By studying people with and without chronic cough, this research hopes to find new clues about how chronic cough develops and ultimately lead to better treatments.

Key takeaways

This study is exploring the causes of chronic cough.
It will look at inflammation and a body chemical called ATP in the lungs.
The research compares people with chronic cough to healthy individuals.
The aim is to find better ways to treat frustrating, long-lasting coughs.
Participation involves meeting specific age and health criteria.

Who may be eligible?

To join this study, you need to be between 30 and 70 years old. Both men and women can take part. Everyone who joins must be able to understand the study information, give their written permission, and be able to complete all the study tasks.

If you have a chronic cough, it means your cough must have lasted for at least 8 weeks. You should also have been seen at a 'Cough Clinic' for at least 6 months, and doctors should have already tried other treatments for your cough without success. This includes cases where a cause was found but treatment didn't work, or where no cause for your cough has ever been identified.

If you don't have a chronic cough, you can join if you are a healthy non-smoker (or haven't smoked for at least a year and your smoking history is very low). You shouldn't have any significant illnesses or be taking any medications, and you shouldn't have a history of asthma or allergies like hay fever.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you between 30 and 70 years old?
If you have a cough, has it lasted for more than 8 weeks?
If you have a cough, has a doctor already tried to treat it without success?
If you don't have a cough, are you generally healthy and a non-smoker?
Are you able to understand study information and give written permission?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

The detailed description of what taking part involves is not provided in the original text. However, based on the study's aim and participant numbers, it's likely to involve some hospital visits for assessments. You would be asked to provide certain information about your health and cough history. There might be tests to measure your breathing or lung function, and potentially samples taken to look for signs of inflammation or specific chemicals. The study mentions comparing results, so this would involve collecting data from you. The total duration of your participation is not specified, but the study notes that people with chronic cough should have been followed in a cough clinic for at least 6 months already.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in any study always has potential benefits and risks. A potential benefit of this study is helping researchers better understand chronic cough, which could lead to new and more effective treatments for many people in the future. For you personally, there might not be a direct medical benefit during the study itself. Potential risks are not detailed but could include discomfort from any tests or procedures, or the inconvenience of study visits. You will have full information about any specific risks before you agree to take part. Remember, you can always change your mind and decide to leave the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your medical care.

Locations (2)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Trust,
Verified postcode
London, United Kingdom· Recruiting
Royal Brompton Hospital
Verified postcode
London, United Kingdom· Recruiting

Common questions

What is chronic cough?

Chronic cough is a cough that lasts for more than 8 weeks.

What is ATP?

ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is a natural chemical in your body that researchers think might be involved in chronic cough.

Will I get a new medicine in this study?

The study aims to understand chronic cough and is not testing a new medicine directly. It will look at causes rather than treatments.

How many people are taking part?

There will be 10 people with chronic cough and 8 healthy people without a cough in this study.

Why is this research important?

This research is important because it could help us understand the causes of chronic cough, which could lead to better treatments for this common and frustrating problem.

How to find out more

Kian Fan Chung, MD

f.chung@imperial.ac.uk 442075947959 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.