A portable cough meter matched research equipment in a study of 109 people with ALS
Original source
Concordant Validity of a Digital Peak Cough Flow Meter to Assess Voluntary Cough Strength in Individuals with ALS. (opens in a new tab)Compass summarised this from the study's abstract.
Study details
- Studied in
- Human
A digital peak cough flow meter produced results that closely agreed with research cough-measuring equipment in 109 people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The device is inexpensive and portable, and the study found it reproducible for measuring voluntary cough strength.
Why this matters
The meter could help multidisciplinary ALS clinics assess cough strength and the ability to clear airway secretions. This study evaluated measurement agreement, not whether using the device improves breathing, swallowing, airway protection or treatment outcomes.
Limitations and context
This was a validation study of 109 people with ALS, using comparisons between devices. It did not test clinical outcomes or establish that routine use changes care. The findings were published in the journal Dysphagia in 2019 and come from one primary research study.