Clinical Practice Guidelines Development Process Research Articles

Clinical Practice Guidelines to Support Capacity Building in Orthopaedic Surgical Outreach: An International Consensus Building Approach.

Surgical outreach to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) by organizations from high- income countries is on the rise to help address the growing burden of conditions warranting surgery. However, concerns remain about the impact and sustainability of such outreach. Leading organizations (e.g., the World Health Organization) advocate for a capacity-building approach to ensure the safety, quality, and sustainability of the local health-care system. Despite this, to our knowledge, no guidelines exist to inform such efforts. We aimed to develop clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) to support capacity-building in orthopaedic surgical outreach utilizing a multistakeholder and international voting panel. We followed a modified American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) CPG development process. We systematically reviewed the existing literature across 7 predefined capacity-building domains (partnership, professional development, governance, community impact, finance, coordination, and culture). A writing panel composed of 6 orthopaedic surgeons with extensive experience in surgical outreach reviewed the existing literature and developed a consensus-based CPG for each domain. We created an international voting panel of orthopaedic surgeons and administrators who have leadership roles in outreach organizations or hospitals with which outreach organizations partner. Members individually reviewed the CPGs and voted to approve or disapprove each guideline. A CPG was considered approved if >80% of panel members voted to approve it. An international voting panel of 14 surgeons and administrators from 6 countries approved all 7 of the CPGs. Each CPG provides recommendations for capacity-building in a specific domain. For example, in the domain of partnership, the CPG recommends the development of a documented plan for ongoing, bidirectional partnership between the outreach organization and the local team. In the domain of professional development, the CPG recommends the development of a needs-based curriculum focused on both surgical and nonsurgical patient care utilizing didactic and hands-on techniques. As orthopaedic surgical outreach grows, best-practice CPGs to inform capacity-building initiatives can help to ensure that resources and efforts are optimized to support the sustainability of care delivery at local sites. These guidelines can be reviewed and updated in the future as evidence that supports capacity-building in LMICs evolves.The global burden of disease warranting surgery is substantial, and morbidity and mortality from otherwise treatable conditions remain disproportionately high in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)1,2. It is estimated that up to 2 million (about 40%) of injury-related deaths in LMICs could be avoided annually if mortality rates were reduced to the level of those in high-income countries (HICs)3. Despite this, progress toward improved access to safe, timely surgery in resource-poor areas has been slow. Historically, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have tried to address unmet surgical needs through short-term outreach trips; however, growing criticism has highlighted the limitations of short-term trips, including limited follow-up, an increased burden on the local workforce, and further depletion of local resources4-6. In light of ongoing concerns, public health priorities have shifted toward models that emphasize long-term capacity-building rather than short-term care delivery. Capacity-building is an approach to health-care development that builds independence through infrastructure development, sustainability, and enhanced problem-solving while taking context into account7,8.

Chinese national clinical practice guidelines on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of early gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the digestive system in China. Few comprehensive practice guidelines for early gastric cancer in China are currently available. Therefore, we created the Chinese national clinical practice guideline for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of early gastric cancer. This clinical practice guideline (CPG) was developed in accordance with the World Health Organization's recommended process and with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) in assessing evidence quality. We used the Evidence to Decision framework to formulate clinical recommendations to minimize bias and increase transparency in the CPG development process. We used the Reporting Items for practice Guidelines in HealThcare (RIGHT) statement and the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) as reporting and conduct guidelines to ensure completeness and transparency of the CPG. This CPG contains 40 recommendations regarding the prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of early gastric cancer based on available clinical studies and guidelines. We provide recommendations for the timing of Helicobacter pylori eradication, screening populations for early gastric cancer, indications for endoscopic resection and surgical gastrectomy, follow-up interval after treatment, and other recommendations. This CPG can lead to optimum care for patients and populations by providing up-to-date medical information. We intend this CPG for widespread adoption to increase the standard of prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of early gastric cancer; thereby, contributing to improving national health care and patient quality of life.

Exercise prescription for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases in primary care: Protocol of the RedExAP study.

Existing evidence supports the effectiveness of exercise in preventing and treating chronic diseases, yet its integration into clinical practice remains limited. This study protocol aims to address the evidence-practice gap by exploring barriers to exercise prescription in primary care and developing a clinical practice guideline (CPG). Employing a qualitative approach, focus groups will be conducted to investigate primary care professionals' challenges in prescribing exercise and patients' adherence to recommendations. Phenomenological analysis will facilitate data interpretation. Data triangulation, expert analysis, and quality criteria will ensure study reliability. The CPG development process is outlined, emphasizing transdisciplinary collaboration and patient involvement. The RedExAP study responds to the imperative for evidence-based exercise integration in primary care. The study's combined qualitative exploration and CPG development present the potential to improve health outcomes and cost-effectiveness. By elucidating primary care professionals' and patients' perspectives, the study contributes to enhancing exercise prescription adoption. The innovative transdisciplinary approach aligns with the 2030 Agenda, promoting better population health and greater social well-being, showing promise in alleviating chronic disease burdens. This study's findings lay the groundwork for advancing evidence-based exercise interventions within primary care to transform chronic disease management.

Association between Conflicts of Interest Disclosure and Quality of Clinical Practice Guidelines in Japan: A Meta-Epidemiological Study.

Accurate disclosure of financial conflicts of interest (COI) among clinical practice guideline (CPG) developers is critical to ensure the quality of CPGs. However, there is limited evidence on the impact of underreporting COIs on the quality of CPGs. This study aimed to examine the proportion of underreported COI disclosures in the development of Japanese CPGs and to estimate the association between underreported COIs and CPG quality using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation (AGREE) II. Twenty-three Japanese CPGs published in 2019 and their 1114 developers were included in the study. The results show that underreporting of COIs occurred in 52% of the included CPGs and 8% of all CPG developers. Underreporting COI disclosures was negatively associated with low-quality CPG (Odds ratio [OR], 0.57; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.11, 3.04). On the other hand, CPGs that had more than 13% of CPG developers with voting rights on recommendation decisions and underreporting of COI disclosures were positively associated with low quality (OR, 1.78; 95% CI: 0.25, 12.45). For individual CPG developers with voting rights for recommendation decisions, the presence of a COI was positively associated with low quality (OR, 1.11; 95% CI: 0.71, 1.75). This study demonstrates that the involvement and underreporting of COIs did not seriously distort the CPG development process. However, the COI-related factors of CPG developers with voting rights for recommendation decisions may be associated with low CPG quality.

Quality of Pancreatic Cyst Clinical Practice Guidelines.

There are various published clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for the management of pancreatic cystic lesions. However, the quality of these guidelines has not been systematically appraised. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of CPGs published in the last 5 years for the management of pancreatic cysts. A systematic search of the PubMed database for eligible CPGs published between January 1, 2016 and November 17, 2021, using a sensitive filter. The quality of the CPGs was independently evaluated using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation II instrument, with domain scores considered sufficient quality if >60% and good quality if >80%. The search yielded 4 eligible CPGs out of 426 citations. The scores varied for different domains for each CPG, with the overall median score being 79% for scope and purpose, 26% for stakeholder involvement, 51% for rigor of development, 69% for clarity of presentation, 14% for applicability, and 75% for editorial independence. The study revealed that the quality of the CPGs for pancreatic cyst management in adults remains moderate at best. Patient representatives were not involved in any of the CPG development process. There is a significant scope for improvement in methodological rigor and clarity of presentation.

Involvement of methodological experts and the quality of clinical practice guidelines: a critical appraisal of clinical practice guidelines and a questionnaire survey of the development groups in Japan

ObjectiveTo evaluate whether the involvement of methodological experts improves the quality of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) after adjusting for other factors.SettingThe quality of Japanese CPGs published in 2011–2019 was assessed...

Female Sexual Dysfunction: An Appraisal of Canadian Clinical Practice Guidelines Using the AGREE II Instrument

Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is a prevalent concern among Canadian women. While clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are commonly relied upon to guide evidence-based decision making, the availability and quality of published Canadian CPGs for FSD is unknown. More broadly, there is also a paucity of literature, which has evaluated documents guiding Canadian CPG development. A search was conducted to identify Canadian documents describing CPG development processes. Eligible documents underwent full-text review to extract content pertaining to scope and target audience. A separate search was conducted to identify Canadian CPGs specific to FSD. Eligible documents underwent quality appraisal using the validated Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument. Four documents outlining CPG development processes were identified. While there were similarities in the steps for CPG development, discrepancies in scope, target user, and affiliated development group across the Canadian methodologies were noted. One Canadian CPG specific to FSD was identified. Th is CPG scored highly in the domains of Scope and Purpose (79%), and Clarity of Presentation (86%), although it did not reach the same quality threshold for the remaining domains. Our results suggest the need for consistent guidelines that are implementable by Canadian CPG developers across the diverse clinical landscape, including women’s sexual health. Th is is the first study to evaluate the quality of CPGs for FSD using the AGREE II instrument. Our appraisal identifies areas of weakness that should be considered when updating this CPG in the future and in the development of new CPGs in this field.

2022 Chinese national clinical practice guideline on Helicobacter pylori eradication treatment.

Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori ) infection is an infectious disease with a prevalence rate of up to 50% worldwide. It can cause indigestion, gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric cancer. H. pylori eradication treatment can effectively control disease progression and reduce the risk of the above conditions. However, the escalating trend of antibiotic resistance presents a global challenge for H. pylori eradication. We aim to provide guidance on pharmacological treatment of H. pylori infection. This clinical practice guideline is developed following the World Health Organization's recommended process, adopting Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation in assessing evidence quality, and utilizing Evidence to Decision framework to formulate clinical recommendations, minimizing bias and increasing transparency of the clinical practice guideline development process. We used the Reporting Items for practice Guidelines in HealThcare (RIGHT) statement and The Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) as reporting and conduct guides to ensure the guideline's completeness and transparency. Though decreasing in developed countries, the prevalence of H. pylori remains high in developing countries, causing a major public health burden. This clinical practice guideline contains 12 recommendations concerning pharmacological treatment for H. pylori eradication. Among them, it is worth highlighting that bismuth preparations are inexpensive, safe, and effective, consequently making bismuth quadruple therapy a preferred choice for initial and rescue treatment. In empirical treatment, high-dose dual therapy is equally effective compared with bismuth quadruple therapy. The 12 recommendations in this clinical practice guideline are formed with consideration for stakeholders' values and preferences, resource use, feasibility, and acceptability. Recommendations are generalizable to resource limited settings with similar antibiotic resistance pattern as China, and lower middle-income countries facing comparable sociological and technical challenges. Guidelines International Network (GIN) website, https://guidelines.ebmportal.com/node/69996 .

S622 Methodological Quality of Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Antithrombotic Agents in Patients Undergoing GI Endoscopy: A Systematic Critical Appraisal Using the AGREE II Tool

Introduction: Several published clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) exist for the management of antithrombotic agents in patients undergoing GI endoscopy. However, to date, the quality of such CPGs has not been systematically appraised. The goal of this study was to identify and evaluate the quality of CPGs for the management of antithrombotic agents in peri endoscopic period published within last 6 years. Methods: A systematic search of PubMed and Embase database was performed to identify eligible CPGs. Any CPGs published between January 1, 2016 and April 14, 2022 addressing management of antithrombotic agents in patients undergoing GI endoscopy were eligible. The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) broad filter for the CPG terms was used since it is the most sensitive filter. The quality of the CPGs was independently assessed by five reviewers using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation II (AGREE II) instrument. Domain scores were considered of sufficient quality when >60% and of good quality when >80%. Results: The search yielded 343 citations of which 7 were CPGs and included for the critical appraisal (Table) (one CPG was published in two journals). Five CPGs were published by the gastroenterology associations in Europe (n=2) and Asia (n=3) and two in the United States. The overall median score for the AGREE II domains was 100% for scope and purpose, 72% for stakeholder involvement, 86% for rigor of development, 100% for clarity of presentation, 29% for applicability and 89% for editorial independence. Table presents scores for the AGREE II domains for each included CPG. Conclusion: The findings from our study show that the overall methodological quality of the CPGs for the management of antithrombotic agents in patients undergoing GI endoscopic procedures varies across various domains. Only one CPG included patient representatives in the CPG development process. There is a significant scope for improvement for methodological rigor and the applicability. Table 1. - Clinical practice guidelines included in the critical appraisal using AGREE II instrument. Authors Title Journal AGREE II scores [%] Scope and purpose Stakeholder involvement Rigor of development Clarity of presentation Applicability Editorial independence Overall Acosta et al. The management of antithrombotic agents for patients undergoing GI endoscopy Gastrointest Endosc 2016 Jan;83(1):3-16. doi: 10.1016/j.gie.2015.09.035. 100% 29% 64% 100% 14% 57% 64% Kato et al. Guidelines for Gastroenterological Endoscopy in Patients Undergoing Antithrombotic Treatment: 2017 Appendix on Anticoagulants Including Direct Oral Anticoagulants Dig Endosc. 2018 Jul;30(4):433-440. doi: 10.1111/den.13184. 100% 57% 64% 86% 29% 79% 61% Chan et al. Management of patients on antithrombotic agents undergoing emergency and elective endoscopy: joint Asian Pacific Association of Gastroenterology (APAGE) and Asian Pacific Society for Digestive Endoscopy (APSDE) practice guidelines Gut 2018 Mar;67(3):405-417. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2017-315131 100% 86% 79% 100% 14% 100% 73% Farcas et al. Gastrointestinal endoscopy in patients on direct oral anticoagulants. A consensus paper of the Romanian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology J Gastrointestin Liver Dis. 2018 Jun;27(2):179-187. doi: 10.15403/jgld.2014.1121.272.end. 100% 57% 71% 71% 29% 86% 61% Lim et al. Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Antithrombotic Agents in Patients Undergoing Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Clin Endosc. 2020 Nov;53(6):663-677. doi: 10.5946/ce.2020.192 100% 86% 100% 100% 29% 100% 85% Veitch et al. Endoscopy in patients on antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy: British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) and European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) guideline update Endoscopy. 2021 Sep;53(9):947-969. doi: 10.1055/a-1547-2282 100% 100% 100% 100% 43% 100% 90% Abraham et al. American College of Gastroenterology-Canadian Association of Gastroenterology Clinical Practice Guideline: Management of Anticoagulants and Antiplatelets During Acute Gastrointestinal Bleeding and the Periendoscopic Period 1. J Can Assoc Gastroenterol.2022 5(2):100-101. doi: 10.1093/jcag/gwac010.2. Am J Gastroenterol 2022 117(4):542-558. doi:10.14309/ajg.0000000000001627. 100% 100% 100% 100% 57% 93% 83%

Patient and public involvement in the development of clinical practice guidelines: a scoping review

ObjectivesOrganisations that develop clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) encourage involvement of patients and the publics in their development, however, there are no standard methodologies for doing so. To examine how CPGs...

Availability, Quality, and Implementability of Canadian Clinical Practice Guidelines for Female Sexual Dysfunction

ABSTRACT Introduction Sexual health problems are common among Canadian women, though they often go unaddressed and untreated in clinical settings. Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are systematically developed statements that facilitate structured, evidence-based guidance for specific clinical circumstances. Their potential benefits to patients and practitioners are dependent upon comprehensive guideline development processes that consolidate best available evidence, and guide successful implementation into practice. Little is known about the curation, availability, quality, and implementability of Canadian CPGs for women's sexual health problems and female sexual dysfunction (FSD). Objective i) To determine the availability of protocols guiding the curation of Canadian CPGs ii) To assess the availability, quality, and implementability of Canadian CPGs for women's sexual health concerns and FSD. Methods A systematic search for publicly available documents referencing Canadian CPG development processes was conducted. Websites associated with provincial and national health bodies, in addition to relevant professional medical organizations, and electronic databases PubMed and Google Scholar were searched. A separate search was conducted to retrieve Canadian CPGs specific to women's sexual health and FSD using similar methodology. FSD CPGs that met the criteria of including recommendations on FSD screening, management, and resources went on to subsequent analyses using the AGREE-II and AGREE-REX tools to assess CPG quality and implementability, respectively, and qualitative content analysis to identify the scope and thematic content of the CPGs. Results Two national guidelines for Canadian CPG development were identified. 3/13 Canadian provinces and territories had protocols outlining processes for general CPG development. National and provincial documents varied in their recommended methodologies for CPG curation and updating evidence suggesting a lack of standardization. Two Canadian CPGs specific to FSD and sexual concerns were identified: one from the Canadian Urological Association, and one from the Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Canada (SOGC). Only the SOGC guideline contained information regarding screening, management, and resources for FSD, and thus underwent subsequent analysis. The SOGC guideline scored highly with respect to the domains of Scope and Purpose (79%), and Clarity of Presentation (86%), though it did not sufficiently address the remaining AGREE-II domains, scoring lowest in Applicability (44%) and Editorial Independence (13%). AGREE-REX scoring was 58%, suggesting it was moderately implementable. Qualitative analysis revealed a focus on the importance of healthcare providers ensuring they have the necessary skills and knowledge to assess and manage sexual health problems, though the details of these skills and knowledge were not consistently defined. Conclusions There is a lack of standardization of the process of CPG curation in Canada and limited Canadian CPGs guiding best practices for screening and management of FSDs, and provision of additional resources. This study highlights the strengths and deficiencies in the current Canadian CPGs for FSD. Canadian CPG developers should consider FSD a topic of priority and continue to make attempts to curate comprehensive, evidence-based CPGs in this field that are implementable in all local Canadian contexts. The ISSWSH Process of Care for the Identification of Sexual Concerns and Problems in Women may serve as a valuable resource in improving Canadian-specific FSD CPGs. Disclosure No

European Society for Vascular Surgery Clinical Practice Guideline Development Scheme: An Overview of Evidence Quality Assessment Methods, Evidence to Decision Frameworks, and Reporting Standards in Guideline Development

A structured and transparent approach is instrumental in translating research evidence to health recommendations and evidence informed clinical decisions. The aim was to conduct an overview and analysis of principles and methodologies for health guideline development. A literature review on methodologies, strategies, and fundamental steps in the process of guideline development was performed. The clinical practice guideline development process and methodology adopted by the European Society for Vascular Surgery are also presented. Sophisticated methodologies for health guideline development are being applied increasingly by national and international organisations. Their overarching principle is a systematic, structured, transparent, and iterative process that is aimed at making well informed healthcare choices. Critical steps in guideline development include the assessment of the certainty of the body of evidence; evidence to decision frameworks; and guideline reporting. The goal of strength of evidence assessments is to provide well reasoned judgements about the guideline developers’ confidence in study findings, and several evidence hierarchy schemes and evidence rating systems have been described for this purpose. Evidence to decision frameworks help guideline developers and users conceptualise and interpret the construct of the quality of the body of evidence. The most widely used evidence to decision frameworks are those developed by the GRADE Working Group and the WHO-INTEGRATE, and are structured into three distinct components: background; assessment; and conclusions. Health guideline reporting tools are employed to ensure methodological rigour and transparency in guideline development. Such reporting instruments include the AGREE II and RIGHT, with the former being used for guideline development and appraisal, as well as reporting. This guide will help guideline developers/expert panels enhance their methodology, and patients/clinicians/policymakers interpret guideline recommendations and put them in context. This document may be a useful methodological summary for health guideline development by other societies and organisations.

What is a clinical practice guideline? A roadmap to their development. Special report from the Guidelines Task Force of the International League Against Epilepsy.

Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are statements that provide evidence-based recommendations aimed at optimizing patient care. However, many other documents are often published as "guidelines" when they are not; these documents, although also important in clinical practice, are usually not systematically produced following rigorous processes linking the evidence to the recommendations. Specifically, the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) guideline development toolkit aims to ensure that high-quality CPGs are developed to fill knowledge gaps and optimize the management of epilepsy. In addition to adhering to key methodological processes, guideline developers need to consider that effective CPGs should lead to improvements in clinical processes of care and health care outcomes. This requires monitoring the effectiveness of epilepsy-related CPGs and interventions to remove the barriers to epilepsy CPG implementation. This article provides an overview of what distinguishes quality CPGs from other documents and discusses their benefits and limitations. We summarize the recently revised ILAE CPG development process and elaborate on the barriers and facilitators to guideline dissemination, implementation, and adaptation.

Technical Capacity Mapping for Clinical Practice Guideline Development in the Philippines

Background. A 2017 situational analysis assessing Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) development in the Philippines revealed CPGs of inconsistent quality. In response, the Department of Health (DOH)-Philippine Health Insurance Corporation Manual for CPG Development was developed to outline the standardized steps of the CPG development process. To implement this, technically qualified institutions and individuals should be commissioned.
 Objective. To identify qualified institutions and individuals and map out their technical skills and potential for capacit building in CPG development
 Methods. Mixed methods were used in this cross-sectional study. A snowballing method identified specific institutions and individuals. Self-administered surveys and key informant interviews were conducted to determine competence, strengths, and gaps in the development of CPGs.
 Results. A total of 74 individuals from 45 institutions with competencies in CPG development were identified. Of the 45 institutions, 72% were non-clinical, with roughly half working on formal research. Of the 74 individuals, 96% possessed relevant knowledge and skills and 85% already provided training on CPG development topics. Around half of the respondents have been part of a CPG development task force. Only about half were able to incorporate social concepts of equity, and only one-third had experience in managing conflicts of interest.
 Conclusion. Qualified institutions and individuals identified in this capacity mapping can be tapped in future CPG development in the country. Incorporation of social concepts and management of conflicts of interest still need to be ensured.

Pediatric Research Challenge, Alignment with the National Research Agenda

Pediatric Research Challenge, Alignment with the National Research Agenda

How can the perceptions of Korean medicine doctors aid clinical practice guidelines for patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis?: a cross-sectional survey

IntroductionThis study aimed to investigate the perception of Korean medicine (KM) doctors regarding the treatment of degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) and explore their opinions on the core clinical questions (CQs) of KM clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for patients with degenerative LSS. MethodsAn online cross-sectional survey distributed via e-mail was conducted in December 2016. The study population included registered KM doctors (KMDs) in South Korea. The e-mail contained 13 questionnaire items regarding the doctors’ demographic characteristics and perceptions of the core CQs that should be addressed in CPGs for patients with degenerative LSS. Descriptive analyses were performed to summarize the data. ResultsA total of 680 KMDs responded to the survey. Kidney qi deficiency was the most commonly used diagnostic name for degenerative LSS. Acupuncture ranked first in the treatment used for degenerative LSS and in the treatment desired to be included in the development of CPG recommendations. Ojeok-san (积散, 積散, Wuji-san, Goshaku-san) was the number one herbal medicine, and 5% bee venom pharmacopuncture was the number one pharmacopuncture technique used for degenerative LSS. Drug therapy was the most selected control treatment considered appropriate to assess treatment effectiveness and safety. Pain relief was the most chosen indicator among the indicators considered reasonable to assess therapeutic effectiveness. ConclusionResults of this study are expected to inform the development of key CQs of the KM standard CPG for degenerative LSS. The involvement of KMDs in the CPG development process can help develop useful and available CPGs.

Development of the New AAP Febrile Infant Clinical Practice Guideline.

Development of the New AAP Febrile Infant Clinical Practice Guideline.

QUALITY APPRAISAL OF CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES ON PROVISION OF DENTAL SERVICES DURING THE FIRST MONTHS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

ObjectivesTo evaluate the quality of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) on dental services provision during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic.Materials and methodsWe systematically searched in MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, Epistemonikos, Trip databases, websites of CPG developers, compilers of CPGs, scientific societies and ministries of health to identify documents with recommendations intended to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission during dental care. Reviewers independently and in duplicate assessed the included CPGs using the AGREE II instrument. We calculated the standardized scores for the 6 domains and made a final recommendation about each CPG. The inter-appraiser agreement was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).ResultsTwenty-three CPGs published were included. Most of the CPGs were from America (n = 15) and Europe (n = 6). The overall agreement between reviewers was very good (ICC = 0.93; 95%CI 0.87-0.95). The median score for each domain was the following: Scope and purpose 67% (IQR 20%); Stakeholder involvement 33% (IQR 14%); Rigour of development 13% (IQR 13%); Clarity of presentation 64% (IQR 31%); Applicability 19% (IQR 17%) and Editorial independence 8% (IQR 8%). Twenty two guidelines were not recommended by the reviewers. Only one of the CPGs was recommended with modifications. The median overall rate was 3 (IQR 1). All CPGs were classified as low quality.ConclusionsThe overall quality of CPGs on dental services provision during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic was low, which makes its implementation difficult for clinicians and policy makers. Therefore, it is critical that developers are transparent and forthcoming about the difficulties that have arisen during the CPG development process.

An opportunity to emphasize the relevance of laboratory medicine.

Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are recommendations based on a systematic review of scientific evidence that are intended to help healthcare professionals and patients make the best clinical decisions. CPGs must be evidence-based and are designed by multidisciplinary teams. The purpose of this study is to assess the topics related to the clinical laboratory addressed in CPGs and evaluate the involvement of laboratory professionals in the CPG development process. A total of 16 CPGs recommended by the Spanish Society of Laboratory Medicine and/or retrieved from PubMed-Medline were included. A review of the information provided in CPGs about 80 topics related to the clinical laboratory was performed. The authorship of laboratory professionals was assessed. On average, the 16 CPGs addressed 49% (standard deviation [SD]: 11%) of the topics evaluated in relation to the clinical laboratory. By order of frequency, CPGs contained information about 69% of postanalytical variables (SD: 20%); 52% of preanalytical variables (SD: 11%); and 43% of the analytical variables studied (SD: 18%). Finally, half the CPGs included a laboratory professional among its authors. CPGs frequently failed to provide relevant laboratory-related information. Laboratory professionals were co-authors in only half the CPGs. There is scope for improvement, and laboratory professionals should be included in multidisciplinary teams involved in the development of CPGs.

Long-term non-invasive ventilation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): 2021 Canadian Thoracic Society Clinical Practice Guideline update

BACKGROUND: Chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure is common in advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and it is associated with adverse outcomes such as repeat hospitalization and death. Long-term non-invasive ventilation (NIV) has been used with uncertain efficacy in this condition, but recent clinical trials suggest possible survival benefit and reduced hospitalization under specific circumstances with this therapy. METHODS: The purpose of this guideline update is to assess current evidence regarding long-term NIV in the treatment of chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure specifically related to advanced COPD. A representative multidisciplinary panel of expert clinicians undertook a formal clinical practice guideline development process. Four key clinical questions were defined according to the Patient/problem, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome (PICO) approach. The panel performed a systematic literature review, assessed and graded the relevant evidence and made evidence-based recommendations. RESULTS: There is supportive evidence for the use of long-term NIV to improve survival in patients with stable COPD with significant chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure. The use of this therapy may also lead to reduced hospital readmission rates when applied to patients who were recently hospitalized for an acute hypercapnic exacerbation and in whom the elevated partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood (PaCO2) persists 2 to 4 weeks after the index hospitalization. Studies demonstrating benefit of long-term NIV targeted very selected patient populations and used very specific methodology, both of which are likely key elements for NIV success. Although there is no evidence from clinical trials directly comparing high-intensity versus low-intensity NIV, most successful clinical trials have used the former ventilation strategy. Therefore, when opting for long-term NIV in patients with COPD and chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure, we suggest using high-intensity ventilation (sufficient inspiratory pressures to meaningfully reduce PaCO2). We found no evidence to support the use of volume-assured pressure ventilation over standard pressure preset ventilation, which is currently the preferred mode. CONCLUSIONS: This 2021 guideline update represents an important shift from the previous recommendation against the use of long-term NIV in most patients with COPD and chronic hypercapnia, toward its suggested use. Based on the reported survival and hospital readmission rate benefits, we suggest long-term NIV in highly selected patients with COPD and chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure along with the use of specific and closely monitored ventilatory strategies.