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Cough: Pharmacology and Therapy
Pulmonary Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2002) 15, 185±186 doi:10.1006/pupt.2002.0354, available online at http://www.idealibrary.com on
1
PULMONARY PHARMACOLOGY
& THERAPEUTICS
Editorial Cough: Pharmacology and Therapy
The 2nd International Symposium on Cough was held at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College School of Medicine, London, on 25±27 October, 2001. The 1st International Symposium on Cough, dedicated to Methods and Mechanisms, had been held at the same venue in October 1996. It had been a success and had resulted in a Special Issue of Pulmonary Pharmacology (vol. 9, 1996). The 2nd International Symposium built on this success and gathered 90 participants, 24 formal presentations and, gratifyingly, the number of posters increased from 4 to 31, indicating a desire to present current research on cough. This also indicates the increased research activities in both the basic and clinical aspects of cough. The original plan was to limit the symposium to the pharmacology and therapy of cough, but it soon became clear that pharmacology of cough could not be discussed without its physiology; and that the therapy of cough could not be dealt with without epidemiology, since therapy depends on causation, and without the psychological aspects. The only omission may have been the histopathological bases of cough, but even this was touched on in many presentations. The first two sessions dealt with the basic pharmacology of cough, and soon embraced recent work on the plasticity of cough pathways, the complexity of the pharmacological mechanisms in activation of sensory receptors for cough, and in the central nervous mechanisms of cough. Many posters illustrated these themes. The third session considered the clinical needs for cough therapy in adults and children, the methods for diagnosis and assessment of cough, and the quality of life in coughers. The last session dealt with the therapy of cough, in particular the action of central and peripheral nervous antitussive agents and the role of psychological influences on the effectiveness of antitussive drugs. There were many periods for general discussion and for viewing and discussing the posters ± inevitably too 1094±5539/02/$ ± see front matter
brief. The posters demonstrated a remarkable range of interest. As well as those devoted to the main themes of the symposium, others dealt with the derangement of the cough reflex in brain damage, cough sensory hyperreactivity in lung diseases, monitoring and analysis of cough sounds, cough provocation tests and high altitude cough. We regret that it is not possible to publish abstracts of these posters. This symposium confirmed that the therapy of cough will continue to remain a central issue, and that more effective treatments are needed. Despite this, the annual world sales of over-the-counter medications for `cough and colds' add up to several billions of dollars per year. The increased understanding of basic mechanisms of cough generation and of the cough reflex, together with the appreciation of the clinical causes will have laid the ground for improved pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches. The assessment of these approaches is also an important area of intense investigation. Such efforts link up academic centres with the pharmaceutical industry, and link up non-clinical scientists with clinicians, and the attendees to our Symposium reflect this multidisciplinary approach that is necessary. If another symposium is to be held in a few years' time, we would simply entitle the next one `Cough'. The signs are that it would be popular, successful and would highlight the substantive progress we predict will happen. We would measure the success of this Symposium by its capacity to enable further investigations and research. The meeting was generously sponsored and financially supported by GlaxoSmithKline (US), and endorsed by the European Respiratory Society. The administration was most efficiently conducted by the Short Courses Office, Imperial College School of Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, London. We also thank the journal Pulmonary Pharmacology and Therapeutics for publishing this special issue. The organizers are grateful to all these organizations, and to the many participants who helped to make the meeting a scientific and social success. Finally, we thank all the faculty and 185
#
2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
186
Editorial
participants of the Symposium for travelling to and participating in our meeting so soon after the 11 September 2001 tragic events. John Widdicombe GKT School of Biomedical Sciences, Human Physiology and Aerospace Medicine, Guy's Campus, London Bridge, LONDON SE1 9RT
Fan Chung Dept of Thoracic Medicine, Imperial College School of Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, Dovehouse Street, LONDON SW3 6LY
Date received: 30 January 2002 Date accepted: 19 February 2002
1
PULMONARY PHARMACOLOGY
& THERAPEUTICS
Editorial Cough: Pharmacology and Therapy
The 2nd International Symposium on Cough was held at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College School of Medicine, London, on 25±27 October, 2001. The 1st International Symposium on Cough, dedicated to Methods and Mechanisms, had been held at the same venue in October 1996. It had been a success and had resulted in a Special Issue of Pulmonary Pharmacology (vol. 9, 1996). The 2nd International Symposium built on this success and gathered 90 participants, 24 formal presentations and, gratifyingly, the number of posters increased from 4 to 31, indicating a desire to present current research on cough. This also indicates the increased research activities in both the basic and clinical aspects of cough. The original plan was to limit the symposium to the pharmacology and therapy of cough, but it soon became clear that pharmacology of cough could not be discussed without its physiology; and that the therapy of cough could not be dealt with without epidemiology, since therapy depends on causation, and without the psychological aspects. The only omission may have been the histopathological bases of cough, but even this was touched on in many presentations. The first two sessions dealt with the basic pharmacology of cough, and soon embraced recent work on the plasticity of cough pathways, the complexity of the pharmacological mechanisms in activation of sensory receptors for cough, and in the central nervous mechanisms of cough. Many posters illustrated these themes. The third session considered the clinical needs for cough therapy in adults and children, the methods for diagnosis and assessment of cough, and the quality of life in coughers. The last session dealt with the therapy of cough, in particular the action of central and peripheral nervous antitussive agents and the role of psychological influences on the effectiveness of antitussive drugs. There were many periods for general discussion and for viewing and discussing the posters ± inevitably too 1094±5539/02/$ ± see front matter
brief. The posters demonstrated a remarkable range of interest. As well as those devoted to the main themes of the symposium, others dealt with the derangement of the cough reflex in brain damage, cough sensory hyperreactivity in lung diseases, monitoring and analysis of cough sounds, cough provocation tests and high altitude cough. We regret that it is not possible to publish abstracts of these posters. This symposium confirmed that the therapy of cough will continue to remain a central issue, and that more effective treatments are needed. Despite this, the annual world sales of over-the-counter medications for `cough and colds' add up to several billions of dollars per year. The increased understanding of basic mechanisms of cough generation and of the cough reflex, together with the appreciation of the clinical causes will have laid the ground for improved pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches. The assessment of these approaches is also an important area of intense investigation. Such efforts link up academic centres with the pharmaceutical industry, and link up non-clinical scientists with clinicians, and the attendees to our Symposium reflect this multidisciplinary approach that is necessary. If another symposium is to be held in a few years' time, we would simply entitle the next one `Cough'. The signs are that it would be popular, successful and would highlight the substantive progress we predict will happen. We would measure the success of this Symposium by its capacity to enable further investigations and research. The meeting was generously sponsored and financially supported by GlaxoSmithKline (US), and endorsed by the European Respiratory Society. The administration was most efficiently conducted by the Short Courses Office, Imperial College School of Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, London. We also thank the journal Pulmonary Pharmacology and Therapeutics for publishing this special issue. The organizers are grateful to all these organizations, and to the many participants who helped to make the meeting a scientific and social success. Finally, we thank all the faculty and 185
#
2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
186
Editorial
participants of the Symposium for travelling to and participating in our meeting so soon after the 11 September 2001 tragic events. John Widdicombe GKT School of Biomedical Sciences, Human Physiology and Aerospace Medicine, Guy's Campus, London Bridge, LONDON SE1 9RT
Fan Chung Dept of Thoracic Medicine, Imperial College School of Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, Dovehouse Street, LONDON SW3 6LY
Date received: 30 January 2002 Date accepted: 19 February 2002