Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric validation of the Arabic Leicester Cough Questionnaire in patients with chronic cough: A cross-sectional study.

Authors

Saeed M Alghamdi, Ahmed H Alasimi, Maryam M Almulhem, Saja A Almulhim, Abdulelah M Aldhahir, Jaber S Alqahtani, Rayan A Siraj, Surinder S Birring

Published in

Medicine. Volume 105. Issue 40. Pages e50891. Oct 02, 2026.

Abstract

Chronic cough significantly impacts patients' quality of life, yet validated Arabic-language tools for its assessment are lacking. This study aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the Arabic version of the Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ-A) among Arabic-speaking patients. This cross-sectional study involved the translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and psychometric validation of the LCQ among Arabic-speaking patients with chronic cough. Participants completed the LCQ-A and the COPD Assessment Test (CAT). Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's α, test-retest reliability using intraclass correlation coefficients, and convergent validity via Spearman's correlation with the CAT cough item. A total of 56 adult patients with chronic cough were recruited with a mean age of 28.5 ± 4.8 years. Clinical causes or conditions associated with chronic cough included postinfection cough (26.8%), sinusitis (17.9%), asthma (14.3%), and an unknown cause (41.1%). The mean LCQ-A total score was 16.9 ± 3.7, with subdomain scores of 5.3 ± 1.3 (physical), 5.9 ± 1.2 (psychological), and 5.8 ± 1.5 (social). Cronbach's α demonstrated excellent internal consistency across domains (physical, 0.870; psychological, 0.882; social, 0.925; total, 0.952). Test-retest reliability of the LCQ-A in participants with no change in cough symptoms was excellent, with intraclass correlation coefficient values ranging from 0.859 to 0.944 for single measures and 0.924 to 0.971 for average measures (all P < .001). Strong interdomain correlations were observed (ρ = 0.877-0.957, P < .001), indicating high internal coherence. However, LCQ-A scores did not significantly correlate with the CAT cough item (ρ = -0.030 to 0.057, P > .05). The LCQ-A demonstrates excellent reliability and strong internal consistency, confirming its suitability for assessing cough-related quality of life in Arabic-speaking populations. While convergent validity with the CAT cough item was not observed, the LCQ-A provides a culturally adapted and psychometrically robust instrument for clinical and research use.

PMID:
42826262
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 03 Oct 2026.

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