Eur Respir J 1989, 2, 289-291 CASE REPORT

Cough induced by but not by captopril

H. Puolijoki*, M. Nieminen*, E. Moilanen**, L. Siitonen*, A. Lahdensuo*, P. Reinikainen*, H. Vapaatalo**

Cough iruluced by enalapril but 1101 by capropril. H. Puolijoki, M Nieminen, •Tampere University Central Hospital. E. Moilanen, L. Siironen, A. Lahdensuo, P. Reinikainen, If. VapaaJalo. •• Dept of Biomedical Sciences, University of ABSTRACT: We report a 68 yr old woman with wbo Tampcre. Finland. developed a dry cough on enalaprll but not on captopril therapy. Pul­ monary function te!its, methacholine in halation challenges, total blood Correspondence: H. Puolijoki, Dept of Pulmonary Diseases, Turlcu University Central Hospital, SF- eoslnophiJ counts, and changes In plasma concentrations or 207 40 Preitila, Finland. E2 and tllromboxane 81 did not explain the difference in the adverse reaction between tbese two converting inhibitors. Keywords: ACE inhibitors; captopril; cough; Eur Respir J., 1989, 2, 289- 291. enalapril.

Received: March, 1988; accepted after revision August 9, 1988.

Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibiLors like Case History capropril and ena1april are usually well tolerated. How­ ever, in some patientS they may cause cough as an A 68 yr old non-smoking woman with diabetes, adverse reaction [1]. We report a female patiem who hypertension and compensated , but with developed a cough on enalapril but not on captopril no respiratory disease or abnormalities on chest X-ray, therapy. We evaluated her lung function, bronchial re­ developed a dry cough but no dyspnoea or posrnasal activity to methacholine, LolaJ blood eosinophi l count as drip during Lreatmem with ena1april (Renitcc®, MSD, E 20 mg·day·1) for hypertension. Her blood pressure bad well as plasma concentrations of prostaglandin 2 ) been repeatedly recorded as 190/105 mmHg. Her other (PGE2 and thromboxane B.1 (TXBJ during the two therapies and without any ACE inhibitor. medication was: atenolol (100 mg·day·1), digoxin (0.25

Table 1. - Pulmonary function tests, methacholine inhalation challenge results, total blood

eosinophil counts, plasma concentrations of prostaglandin E2 and thromboxane 92 dur­ !ng. ~~ptopril and enalapril therapies and in absence of angiotensin converting enzyme mh1b1t1on.

CAP BRDll.. ENA BROIL CONTR BRDll.. FVC l 2.7 2.6 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.6

FEV1 l 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.8 1.8 FEY% 70 73 70 70 67 69 MMEF l·s·' 1.14 1.13 1.35 1.25 1.11 1.05 MVV l·min·' 50 55 50 60 50 50 TLC l 5.04 5.45 5.05 FRC l 2.54 3.33 2.82 RV l 2.16 2.62 2.16 PEFR l·min· 1 355 370 375 390 365 360 BAPEFR l·min·1 360 345 340 METHACH 320 360 365 380 285 295 .1PEFR% -11 -+6 -16 EOS x109·l'1 0.23 0.23 0.19 PGE pg·mJ· 1 2 906 369 171 TXBz pg·mi·' 153 147 126 CAP: captopril; ENA: enaJapril; BROIL: values ten minutes after three puffs of a rimiterol aero­ sol, total dose 600 )lg; CONTR: test values witholtt ACE inhibition; FVC: forced vital capa.city; : FEV 1 forced expiratory volume in one second; FEV1%: FEY/FVC%; MMEF: maximal mid-ex­ piratory flow; MVV: maximal voluntary ventilation; TLC: total lung capacity; FRC: functional residual capacity; RV: residual volume; PEFR: peak expiratory flow rate; BAPEFR: basal PEFR; METHACH: PEFR values after 10 inhalalions of 2.5% methacholine soluLion; .1PEFR: change : ; : from the baseline value of PEFR; EOS: blood eosinophil count; PGE2 prostaglandin E1 TXB1 thromboxane B2 290 H. PUOL!JOKI ET AL

1 1 mg·day· ), chlorthalidone (50 mg·day· ), metformin line inhalation challenges were in the normal range (1000 mg·day-1) and glibenclamide (7 mg·day-1). during captopril and enalapril treatment but, interest­ The cough disappeared when enalapril was replaced ingly, a mild bronchial hyperreactivity was found in the 1 by captopril (Capoten®, Squibb, 75mg·day ). The other period without any ACE inhibition (LWEFR -16%) medication remained unaltered. During this regimen she (table 1). The patient was asymptomatic, and had no was asymptomatic. After two months on captopril medi­ sign of any viral respiratory infection during the pre­ cation she underwent physical examination, blood tests, ceding six weeks which could have explained the dynamic (Bemstein) and volumetric spirometry (Godart results. The total blood eosinophil count was normal at expirograph) (table I). each test, indicating that no allergic disease was pres­ Methacholine inhalation challenge was performed ent. with increasing concentrations (0.025-2.5%) and The prevalence of cough related to ACE inhibition numbers of inhalations of a methacholine solution from has been reported to be in the range 1-6% among a DeVilbiss nebulizer No. 40, with an air flow of 5 patients on captopril [2, 3] and 3-10% among those on 1 l·min· , until a decrease of 15% or more in peak expi­ enalapril [2, 4]. Patients with heart failure show this ratory flow rate (PEFR) (Wright) values was reached. side effect more rarely [2], probably due to lower doses Pulmonary function was in the normal range, but or the usual absence of concomitant beta-blocker ther­ 1 ) plasma concentrations of PGE2 (906 pg·ml- and TXB2 apy in these patients [5). ToWN et al. [6] noticed bron­ (153 pg·ml'1) were rather high (table 1). chial hyperreactivity in three of their ten patients with Thereafter, the patient discontinued captopril and cough from enalapril. However, BucKNALL et al. [7] restarted enalapril at the same dosage without chang­ found that patients coughing during ACE inhibitor treat­ ing her other medication. The study had the approval ment had increased sensitivity to inhaled histamine even of the local Hospital Ethical Committee. During the first before therapy, which was further enhanced during week of enalapril medication she again developed a dry ACE inhibition. We found an abnormal response to cough but no dyspnoea or postnasal drip. The cough methacholine inhalation challenge in only one of our was worse at night and did not disappear while con­ twelve patients with enalapril-induced cough [5]. Fur­ tinuing the enalapril treatment. After two months the thermore, some authors have reported induced or laboratory tests were repeated, and the enalapril medi­ worsened asthma during ACE inhibitor therapy [8, 9). cation was stopped. The cough disappeared within a The mechanism of this adverse reaction is unclear. few days. Pulmonary function tests showed similar val­ Substance P and have been suggested to ues as on captopril, but a remarkable decrease in plasma play a role since their levels probably increase in the

PGE2 was detected (table 1). respiratory tract during ACE inhibition [ 10]. These After one month without any ACE inhibitor therapy mediators have been proved to cause cough: substance and with the other medication unchanged, the tests were P by initiating an axon reflex, and bradykinin by in­ repeated again (table 1). At this time methacholine in­ ducing inflammation of the mucosa [11]. halation challenge showed mild bronchial hyperreac­ Several actions of bradykinin are in fact mediated [12]. tivity, and plasma PGE2 was at its lowest level. The through cyclo-oxygenase products Interestingly, in patient was asymptomatic, and her blood pressure was an open study, sulindac, a non-steroidal anti-inflamma­ 160!80 mmHg. tory agent, inhibited cough produced by ACE inhibition During the whole study, the patient was in good clini­ in six hypertensive subjects [13]. Captopril enhances the cal condition besides the cough during the enalapril release of a prostaglandin-like substance from guinea­

phase, and the findings on physical examination, includ­ pig lungs [14] and increases plasma PGE2 in patients ing pulmonary auscultation, were normal. having hypertension [15]. Accordingly, in our patient

PGE2 concentration was at its highest during captopril therapy and lowest during the control period. TXB was Discussion 2 at the same level during all treatments. These findings The diagnosis of enalapril-induced cough in this do not support the role of any prosLanoids in the aeti­ patient was verified by rechallenge, which is usually ology of cough although they have previously been required to prove a drug-induced side effect. Another suspected. This is supported by our unpublished data of plasma PGE concentrations in four patients with enala­ ACE inhibitor, captopril, caused no adverse reactions. 2 Additional medication, including the adrenergic beta­ pril-induced cough: only one had a higher concentra­ tion during the therapy and in three patients the PGE blocker atenolol, was similar during both of 2 these therapies and the patient had used this regimen concentration was higher without any ACE inhibition. earlier without any cough. She did not suffer from asthma, atopy or any other disease known to increase References bronchial reactivity. l. Stumpe KO, Kolloch R, Overlack A. - Captopril and Pulmonary function tests were the same during treat­ enalapril: evaluation of therapeutic efficacy and safety. Pract ment with both of the ACE inhibitors and without any Cardiol, 1984, 10, 111-124. ACE inhibition. No bronchodilatation response was 2. Coulter DM, Edwards IR. - Cough associated with cap­ induced by inhalation of rimiterol. This indicates that topril and enalapril. Br Med J, 1987, 294, 1521-1523. no major reversible bronchoconstriction was responsible 3. Have!ka J, Vetter H, Studcr A, et al. - Acute and chronic for the cough during the enalapril phase. The methacho- effects of the angiotensin-converting cap- ENALAPRIL-INDUCED COUGH 291 topril in severe hypertension. Am J Cardio/, 1982, 49, 12. Regoli D, Barabe J. - Pharmacology of bradykinin and 1467- 1474. related peptides. Pharmacol Rev, 1980, 32, 1-46. 4. Hallwright GP, Mating TBJ, Town Gl. - Enalapril and 13. Nicholls MO, Gilchrist NL. - Sulindac and cough induced cough: case report. NZ Med J, 1986, 99, 66-67. by converting enzyme inhibitors. Lancet, 1987, i, 872. 5. Puolijoki HJ, Nieminen MM, Siitonen LO, Lahdcnsuo 14. Greenberg R, Osman GH, O'Keefe EH, Antonaccio MJ. AHS, Reinikainen PMO. - Is a simultaneous beta-blocker - The effects of captopril (SQ 14,225) on bradykinin-induced therapy a risk factor for enalapril-induced cough. Submitted bronchoconstriction in the anesthetized guinea pig. Eur J for publication Pharmacol, 1979, 57, 287-294. 6. Town GI, Hallwright GP, Maling TJB, O'Donnell TV. - 15. Swartz SL, Williams GH. - Angiotensin-converting en­ Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and cough. NZ Med zyme inhibition. Am J Cardiol, 1982, 49, 1405- 1409. J, 1987, 100, 161- 163. 7. Bucknall CE, Neilly JB, Carter R, Stevenson RD, Semple PF. - Bronchial hyperreactivity in patients who cough after La toux induit par enalapril mais non apres captopril. H. receiving angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. Br Med Puolijoki, M Nieminen, E. Moilanen, L. Siitonen, A. Lahden­ J, 1988, 296, 86- 88. suo, P. Reinikainen, H. Vapaatalo. 8. Semple PF, Herd GW. -Cough and wheeze caused by RESUME: Observation d'une femme de 68 ans atteinte inhibitors of angiotensin-converting enzyme. N Eng/ J Med, d'hypertension et souffrant d'une toux seche apres prise 1986, 314, 61. d'enalapril, mais non apres captopril. La difference dans les 9. Popa V. - Captopril-related (and -induced?) asthma. Am reactions secondaires a l'egard de ces deux inhibiteurs de Rev Respir Dis, 1987, 136, 999-1000. !'enzyme de conversion de l'angiotensine ne s'explique ni par 10. Morice AH, Lowry R, Brown MJ, Higenbottam T. - !'exploration fonctionnelle pulmonaire, ni par les provocations Angiotensin-converting enzyme and the cough reflex. Lancet, par inhalation de m6tacholine, ni par les d~omp tes d'cosino­ 1987, ii, 1116-1118. philes totanx dans le sang, ni par des modifications des 11. Bames PJ. - State of the art. Neural control of human concentrations plasmatiques de prostaglandine E ou de throm­ • airways in health and disease. Am Rev Respir Dis, 1986, 134, boxane B2 1289-1314. Eur Respir J., 1989, 2, 289- 291.