Quality of life in coughers

As coughing can cause profound physical and psychosocial complications, it has the potential to lead to a decrease in health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Two studies have prospectively shown that cough can adversely affect HRQoL. The first utilized the Sickness Impact Profile, a non-illness specific measure of health-related dysfunction that measured the effect of patients' health dysfunction on usual daily activities; it has not been psychometrically tested to assess the effects of cough. The second utilized a cough specific quality of life questionnaire that assessed the 28 most common and important reasons why patients seek medical attention because of coughing. It has been found to be a reliable and valid tool for evaluating the impact of acute and chronic cough on adult patients and a valid method by which to assess the efficacy of cough therapies for chronic cough. Because HRQoL is of the highest importance to patients and a cough specific HRQoL instrument assesses the impact of cough in a way no other type of measure does, a cough specific HRQoL instrument should be considered for routine use to optimally evaluate the impact of cough on patients and assess the efficacy of cough modifying agents. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.