Application and measurement properties of the visual analog scale in paediatric cough assessment: A systematic review.
Respir MedJul 27, 2026 (epub)
Clinical ResearchPediatrics
Zehui Zhao, Huiyu Zeng, Yueyue Chen et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review evaluated the measurement properties of visual analogue scales (VAS) for assessing cough in children, analyzing 18 studies from six countries. The review found that VAS is most effective for measuring cough severity, with sufficient construct validity for both proxy and child reports. However, the evidence for other cough-related outcomes is inconsistent.
Key findings
- VAS was primarily used to assess cough severity, followed by cough frequency and impact.
- Proxy- and child-reported VAS showed sufficient construct validity for cough severity.
- Criterion validity for cough frequency was sufficient for proxy reports but insufficient for child self-reports.
- Proxy-reported reliability for cough-related impact was insufficient, while responsiveness was sufficient.
Why it matters
Understanding the measurement properties of VAS in paediatric cough assessment is crucial for clinicians to select appropriate tools for evaluating cough severity and related outcomes, ultimately guiding treatment decisions.