The Multidimensional Cough Index: A Practical Scale to Measure Cough and Sputum.

Area of Science:

• Respiratory Medicine
• Clinical Assessment Tools
• Symptom Measurement

Background:

• Existing instruments for cough assessment are limited in ease of use.
• A need exists for a comprehensive tool to evaluate cough and sputum characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a scale for measuring cough and sputum characteristics.
• To create an easy-to-use instrument for cough assessment.

Main Methods:

• A scale was developed assessing cough intensity, frequency, impact, and sputum characteristics.
• The scale, including a Cough Index and sputum assessment, was administered to 105 patients.
• Validation involved correlation with visual analogue scales (VAS) and the Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ), and test-retest reliability.

Main Results:

• The Cough Index demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.819) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.779).
• Significant correlations were found between the Cough Index and VAS (frequency and intensity) and LCQ.
• The index effectively differentiated respiratory patients from healthy subjects (80% sensitivity, 85% specificity) and decreased after treatment for acute exacerbation.

Conclusions:

• The Multidimensional Cough Index is a validated, single instrument for assessing complex cough and sputum aspects.
• The scale provides a reliable and practical tool for evaluating cough in various patient populations.