Abstract
BACKGROUND: There are no validated and reliable cough-specific instruments to assess health-related quality of life with respect to postoperative cough in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. We used the Leicester Cough Questionnaire in Mandarin-Chinese (LCQ-MC) and investigated the validity, reliability, and repeatability of this instrument. METHODS: A total of 130 NSCLC patients (average age 58.75 ± 9.43 years, 65 men, 65 women) completed the LCQ-MC, cough Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Cough Symptom Score (CSS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Forty patients completed the LCQ-MC again one week later. Concurrent validity, internal consistency, and repeatability were assessed. RESULTS: Analyses of concurrent validity showed significant correlations between the LCQ-MC and the cough VAS (r = -0.488 to -0.660) and CSS (r = -0.495 to -0.601). The corresponding domains of the LCQ-MC and the SF-36 exhibited moderate correlations (r = 0.421-0.432). However, there was no significant correlation between the LCQ-MC and the HADS (P > 0.05). Internal consistency was acceptable (Cronbach's α of 0.74-0.90). Test-retest reliability was high (intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.89-0.95). CONCLUSION: The LCQ-MC is a reliable, valid instrument for assessing postoperative cough in NSCLC patients.