TRPV1 and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Recently, ion channels of the TRP class, such as TRPV1, have been implicated in the heightened cough sensitivity seen in disease, and several studies have demonstrated an increase in cough reflex sensitivity to capsaicin challenge in patients with COPD.50,51 These data might indicate that TRPV1 channels could be key effectors of tussive responses in this disease and that these channels could be associated with long-term potentiation of the cough reflex.