Validation of a short form Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey (WURSS-21)

Table 1 Content of the Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey (WURSS-44)

Symptoms	Symptoms	Symptoms	Functional impairments
*1. How sick do you feel today? [Gt]*	12. Body aches [A]	23. Swollen glands [A]	*34. Think clearly* [F]
*2. Cough* [C]	13. Feeling "run down" [Ti]	24. Plugged ears [E]	35. Speak clearly [F]
3. Coughing stuff up [C]	14. Sweats [Sw]	25. Ear discomfort [E]	*36. Sleep well* [F]
4. Cough interfering with sleep [C]	15. Chills [Sw]	26. Watery eyes [O]	*37. Breathe easily* [F]
*5. Sore throat* [Th]	16. Feeling feverish [Sw]	27. Eye discomfort [O]	*38. Walk, climb stairs, exercise* [F]
*6. Scratchy throat* [Th]	17. Feeling dizzy [O]	*28. Head congestion* [O]	*39. Accomplish daily activities* [F]
*7. Hoarseness* [Th]	*18. Feeling tired* [Ti]	*29. Chest congestion* [Ch]	*40. Work outside the home* [F]
*8. Runny nose* [N]	19. Irritability [O]	30. Chest tightness [Ch]	*41. Work inside the home* [F]
*9. Plugged nose* [N]	20. Sinus pain [Si]	31. Heaviness in chest [Ch]	*42. Interact with others* [F]
*10. Sneezing* [N]	21. Sinus pressure [Si]	32. Lack of energy [Ti]	*43. Live your personal life* [F]
11. Headache [Si]	22. Sinus drainage [Si]	33. Loss of appetite [O]	*44. Compared to yesterday [Gy]*

Items selected for WURSS-21 are in bold italics
Directions for items (2 – 33): "Please rate the average severity of your cold symptoms over the last 24 hours by marking the appropriate circle for each of the following symptoms."
Response options range 0 to 7, with 0 = Do not have, 1 = Very mild, 3 = Mild, 5 = Moderate, 7 = Severe
Directions for items (34 – 43): "Over the last 24 hours, how much has your cold interfered with your ability to..."
Response options are 0 to 7, with 0 = Not at all, 1 = Very mildly, 3 = Mildly, 5 = Moderately, 7 = Severely
Factor analysis for original validation study identified 10 domains: C = Cough; Th = Throat; N = Nasal; A = Aches; Ti = Tired; Si = Sinus/headache; Sw = Sweats/chills/fever; E = Ears; Ch = Chest; F = Functional/activity
Gt = Global severity today; Gy = Global change since yesterday; O = Did not fit within any domain

ISSN: 1477-7525