title: Treatment of chronic, refractory cough with baclofen.
abstract: Chronic, nonproductive cough may result from enhanced sensitivity of the cough reflex. Often, this debilitating symptom is refractory to standard antitussive therapy. Baclofen, an agonist of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), has been shown, in animals, to have antitussive activity via a central mechanism. Recently, in normal subjects, we have demonstrated the ability of baclofen to inhibit capsaicin-induced cough, as well as cough due to angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. Herein, we describe two patients with chronic, refractory cough who obtained symptomatic improvement after a 14-day course of low-dose, oral baclofen, administered in a double-blind, placebo-controlled manner. In addition, both subjects demonstrated significant increases in cough threshold to inhaled capsaicin after treatment with baclofen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, Bronx, N.Y., USA.
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Dicpinigaitis
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rauf
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001418:Baclofen / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D002211:Capsaicin; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003371:Cough / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D018755:GABA Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D018755:GABA Agonists; D001418:Baclofen; D002211:Capsaicin