Value of examination and investigations for predicting a specific cause of cough
| Abnormal clinical pointer | Sensitivity (%) | Specificity (%) | NPV (%) | PPV (%) | LR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NPV, negative predictive value; PPV, positive predictive value; LR, likelihood ratio. | |||||
| *Spirometry assessed in 32 patients aged >6 years. | |||||
| Chest examination | 46 | 81 | 40 | 84 | 2.40 |
| Chest radiograph (any abnormality) | 70 | 58 | 46 | 79 | 1.66 |
| Chest radiograph (major abnormality) | 19 | 94 | 34 | 87 | 2.92 |
| Spirometry* | 17 | 93 | 46 | 75 | 2.33 |