Table 2.
The second round of investigation on cough reflex intensity scores
| Grade | Indicators (if one of them is met) | Importance
(points) | Variation coefficient |
Cough reflex intensity score of 1
(no cough) | a. Conscious and cooperative, but completely incapable of coughing or making coughing noises
b. Unconscious state such as coma (GCS score <8) and unable to cough
c. No cough reflex under sputum suction tube stimulation, or stimulation by pressing the cricothyroid membrane | 4.53±0.57 | 0.12 |
Cough reflex intensity score of 2
(with cough, very weak) | a. Cough awareness or cough action, and a weak cough sound, sputum not coughed out of the vocal door
b. Cough reflex under the sputum suction tube stimulation, and the sputum sucked out by the sputum suction tube | 4.20±0.76 | 0.15 |
Cough reflex intensity score of 3
(with cough, strong) | Strong coughing sounds in the absence of sputum suction tube stimulation, most of the sputum coughed out of the vocal cavity, but not out of the mouth | 4.27±0.69 | 0.18 |
Cough reflex intensity score of 4
(with cough, very strong) | Loud cough sounds and sputum coughed out of the mouth | 4.40±0.68 | 0.12 |
), Jun Xu2(
