Understanding the Molecular Mechanisms of cough variant Asthma through sputum Transcriptomics

Cough variant asthma (CVA) is an atypical form of asthma as well as one of the common causes of prolonged/chronic cough (range from 10-40%). CVA presents with cough as the predominant or sole symptom. There is no wheezing or dyspnea, expect to bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Treatment response to current anti-asthmatic therapy is diverse in CVA. Some CVA response well to current anti-asthmatic therapy, while some are refractory cases whose cough are hard to resolve completely. Effective clinical management of asthma are complicated by heterogeneity in physiologic responses, pathologic and molecular abnormalities. Data regarding underlying pathobiological pathways and heterogeneity of CVA are scarce, which needs to be evaluated so that a personalised management approach can be provided. The aim of the research is to fill that gap through sputum transcriptomics.