Usefulness of suplatast tosilate for chronic cough following lung cancer surgery.
OBJECTIVE
Chronic dry cough is reported to occur in about 25% of patients following lung cancer surgery. Experimental data suggest that it may be caused mainly by stimulation of C-fibers, which are widely distributed to the lower trachea and bronchi. We assessed the clinical usefulness of suplatast tosilate (IPD) for chronic dry cough after lung cancer surgery.


METHODS
The subjects were patients with stage I lung cancer who had undergone lobectomy combined with mediastinal lymph node dissection. IPD was administered orally at 400 mg daily, and its efficacy was evaluated by patient interview 1, 2, and 3 months after the start of treatment. The subjects were 19 patients, and the duration of cough before entering the study was 393.2 days.


RESULTS
The response rate was 84.2% (16/19) 1 month after the start of treatment. It seems that IPD inhibits cough resulting from stimulation of the bifurcated trachea with a high content of C-fibers.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study suggested the efficacy of IPD for controlling chronic dry cough after lung cancer surgery.
Miyamoto
Hideaki
H
Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Juntendo University School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan. hideaki.miyamoto@mt.strins.or.jp
Sakao
Yukinori
Y
Sakuraba
Motoki
M
Oh
Shiaki
S
Takahashi
Nobumasa
N
Miyasaka
Yoshikazu
Y
Inagaki
Tomoya
T
Akaboshi
Taku
T
Hata
Enjo
E
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000996:Antitussive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001190:Arylsulfonates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003371:Cough / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013452:Sulfonium Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000996:Antitussive Agents; D001190:Arylsulfonates; D013452:Sulfonium Compounds; C073028:suplatast tosilate