CHEST Guidelines-Tools for Assessing Outcomes in Studies of Chronic Cough

Tools for Assessing Outcomes in Studies of Chronic Cough

Pdf Summary

The CHEST Guideline and Expert Panel Report, as published in the 2015 issue of "CHEST" journal, presents recommendations on tools for assessing chronic cough's impact and frequency. Since the 2006 guidelines, various tools have evolved to measure the outcomes in patients suffering from chronic cough. The current report, developed following CHEST methodologic guidelines, aims to identify the most effective measurement tools for assessing chronic cough's frequency, severity, and impact across different age groups.<br /><br />Recommendations include the use of validated and reliable health-related quality-of-life (QoL) questionnaires as the primary method for assessing the impact of chronic cough. These include the Leicester Cough Questionnaire and the Cough-Specific Quality-of-Life Questionnaire for adults and adolescents, and the Parent Cough-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire for children under 14 years of age. For cough frequency, acoustic cough counting is endorsed, though its application is not recommended for assessing severity due to the lack of data concerning scales like visual analog scales and numeric rating scales.<br /><br />Recommendations emphasize standardization and caution against modifying validated QoL questionnaires unless newer versions are proven reliable and valid. Tussigenic challenges are noted as beneficial in research settings for understanding cough mechanisms but aren't recommended for routine clinical assessment of cough severity.<br /><br />The study highlights the crucial role of standardized, validated tools in clinical research for improving the reliability and impact of treatment outcomes. Future research directions outlined include reassessing QoL questionnaires' performance across demographics and cultures, and developing self-reported pediatric cough-specific QoL assessments for older children. The report was supported by ACCP (CHEST) and authored by a panel of international experts, with rigorous methods to maintain objectivity and transparency.

Keywords

chronic cough

quality of life

assessment tools

Leicester Cough Questionnaire

acoustic cough counting

tussigenic challenges

clinical research

pediatric assessments

CHEST guidelines

QoL questionnaires