Guidelines for the clinical application of the Xihuang pill for the prevention and treatment of breast hyperplasia diseases

CONTEXT

The Xihuang pill (XHP) is a traditional Chinese medicine formulation that has been historically used in the prevention and treatment of proliferative breast diseases. However, there is a lack of guidelines that offer recommendations for its clinical use.

OBJECTIVE

The task force from the Chinese Guangdong Pharmaceutical Association aims to develop evidence-based guidelines for XHP to prevent and treat proliferative breast diseases.

METHODS

We searched six Chinese and English electronic databases, including the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Chinese Scientific Journal Database, the Wanfang Medical Database, PubMed, and Embase, up to November 1, 2022. Publications (case reports, clinical observation, clinical trials, reviews) on using XHP to treat proliferative breast diseases were manually searched. The search terms were Xihuang pill, hyperplasia of the mammary gland, breast lump, and mastalgia. The writing team developed recommendations based on the best available evidence.

RESULTS

Treatment should be customized based on syndrome identification. We recommend using XHP for the prevention and treatment of breast hyperplasia disease when a patient presents the following syndromes: concurrent blood stasis syndrome, concurrent phlegm-stasis syndrome, and concurrent liver fire syndrome. Safety indicators, including blood analysis and liver and kidney function monitoring, should be performed regularly during treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Current clinical evidence suggests that XHP can be used as a standalone treatment or in conjunction with other medications to prevent and manage breast hyperplasia diseases. More randomized controlled studies are warranted to establish high-quality evidence of its use.

A clinical guideline for the Iranian women and newborns in the postpartum period

BACKGROUND

The postpartum is a vital period for women, newborns, spouses, parents, caregivers, and families. Regarding the importance of postpartum care and the lack of comprehensive and up-to-date clinical guidelines in the country of Iran, the postpartum clinical guidelines have been adapted.

METHODS

Cultural adaptation was conducted in three stages. In the first stage, the adaptation team was formed and the process was approved. During the second stage, a systematic literature review was conducted using international databases to identify English-language clinical guidelines published within the last 10 years. Out of 17 guidelines and documents initially selected, 5 guidelines meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria and published within the last 5 years were chosen following a thorough review by the search team. In the secondary selection, the guidelines were investigated by two subject-matter experts based on AGREE II Checklist, and regarding the high evaluation score obtained by the WHO Recommendations on Postnatal Care of the Mother and Newborn (2022), and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE,2021) guideline for postnatal care were selected for cultural adaptation. In the third stage, the opinions of experts from all over the country were collected and scored using the Delphi method, and a final guideline was formulated.

RESULTS

The adapted postpartum clinical guideline has offered 56 recommendations. The recommendations are categorized into four major themes including mother care, newborn care, health system and health promotion interventions and post caesarean care.

CONCLUSION

Applying evidence-based recommendations for the care of mothers and babies in the postpartum period will enhance the health system, promote the provision of care after vaginal and caesarean births, and ensure a positive postnatal experience for mothers, fathers, babies, and families.

Quality evaluation of clinical practice guidelines for placenta accreta spectrum disorders

Introduction

We evaluated the quality of the published clinical practice guidelines on placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) disorders to provide reference for the development of high-quality PAS guidelines.

Methods

China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wan Fang, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were systematically searched. Quality assessments were conducted using the appraisal of guidelines for research and evaluation (AGREE) II framework and Reporting Items for practice Guidelines in Healthcare (RIGHT) checklist. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to measure the agreement among reviewers.

Results

In total, 13 guidelines from different countries, published between 2015 and 2021 were included. There included 9 official guidelines, 3 consensuses, and 1 standard reference and covered subjects including epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment. The mean standardized scores across 6 domains (scope and purpose, stakeholder involvement, rigor of development, clarity of presentation, applicability, and editorial independence) were 53.63%, 27.35%, 33.57%, 72.01%, 19.39% and 41.02%, respectively. Of the 13 guidelines, 11 were classified as grade B, whereas 2 as grade C. According to the RIGHT checklist, the overall reporting rate of the 13 guidelines ranged from 28.57% to 54.29%.

Conclusion

The current guidelines for PAS demonstrate commendable methodological and reporting qualities. However, the methodological and reporting quality of PAS CPGs still need to be further improved, particularly in stakeholder involvement, the rigor of development, applicability, and editorial independence domains.

Impact of comprehensive quality improvement program on outcomes in very-low-birth-weight infants: A cluster-randomized controlled trial in Japan

BACKGROUND

Differences in outcomes among neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Japan have been noted, prompting the need for quality improvement.

AIM

To assess a comprehensive quality improvement program on outcomes in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants.

STUDY DESIGN

A cluster-randomized clinical trial.

SUBJECTS

Forty hospitals and VLBW infants born in 2012-2014 and admitted to those hospitals were study subjects.

OUTCOME MEASURES

The intervention group (IG) received a comprehensive quality improvement program involving clinical practice guidelines, educational outreach visits, workshops, opinion leader training, audits, and feedback. The control group (CG) was provided only with the guidelines. The primary outcome was survival without neurological impairment at three years of age.

RESULTS

IG consisted of 19 hospitals and 1735 infants, while CG included 21 hospitals and 1700 infants. There were no significant differences in gestational weeks, 29.1(26.9-31.3) vs. 29.1(26.7-31.1) or birth weights (g), 1054(789-1298) vs. 1084(810-1309) between the two groups. Both groups showed survival rates without neurological impairment of 67.2 % (1166) and 66.9 % (1137), respectively, without a significant difference. There was no significant difference in mortalities at NICU discharge between the groups, with rates of 4.0 % (70) and 4.2 % (72) respectively. Several clinically relevant improvements were observed in IG, including reduced rates of sepsis, adrenal insufficiency, transfusion for anemia, and a shorter interval to achieve full enteral feeding. However, these did not lead to improvements in the primary outcome.

CONCLUSION

The comprehensive quality improvement program to Japanese NICUs did not result in a significant improvement in survival without neurological impairment in VLBW infants.

Evaluation and systematic review of guidance documents for status epilepticus

Guidance documents play a pivotal role in shaping the management of status epilepticus (SE). However, the methodological quality of these documents remains uncertain. In this systematic review, we comprehensively searched 12 literature and guideline databases to assess the quality of clinical practice guidelines and consensus statements related to SE management using the AGREE II methodology. Additionally, we summarized the associated recommendations. We identified a total of 14 clinical practice guidelines and 11 consensus statements spanning the period from 1993 to 2022. The median score for clarity of presentation was 71.8% (ranging from 15.3% to 91.7%), indicating generally good clarity. However, the aspect of editorial independence received poor ratings, with a median score of 32.1% (ranging from 0% to 83.3%). Notably, the 2016 guideline published by the American Epilepsy Society in Epilepsy (AES) received the highest overall scores. Across these guidance documents, there was consistency in the definition and diagnosis of SE. However, significant variability was observed in therapeutic recommendations, particularly in terms of the timing for adding or changing medications. The methodological approaches used in most SE guidance documents require improvement, and the disparities in recommendations highlight existing gaps in evidence. Enhanced methodological rigor results in increased standardization of the guideline, consequently augmenting its reference value. Given the urgency of SE as an emergency condition, it is imperative that these documents also address relevant management strategies before admission.

Intramuscular Neural Distribution of the Gastrocnemius for Botulinum Neurotoxin Injection: Application to Cosmetic Calf Shaping

PURPOSE

Anatomical landmarks can provide vital information on the distribution of nerves in the gastrocnemius muscle. We aimed to provide an anatomical perspective on appropriate locations for botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) injections in the medial and lateral parts of the gastrocnemius for calf shaping.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A modified Sihler's method was applied to both the medial and lateral parts of the gastrocnemius muscles (16 specimens). Intramuscular neural distributions were revealed by dissecting along a transverse line crossing the fibular head and superior margin of the calcaneal tuberosity.

RESULTS

The intramuscular neural distribution for the medial and lateral parts of the gastrocnemius had the greatest arborized patterns in the 7/10-8/10 section of the medial head and 7.5/10-8.5/10 section of the lateral part of the gastrocnemius.

CONCLUSION

We propose that BoNT injections should be directed to the 7/10-8/10 section of the medial head and the 7.5/10-8.5/10 section of the lateral part of the gastrocnemius. Following our guidelines, clinicians can ensure satisfactory results with the use of minimal doses to limit adverse effects, such as gait disturbance, antibody production, and bruising, due to multiple injections. The results can also be altered and applied to electromyography.

[Interpretation of the clinical guideline for point-of-care ultrasonography in the neonatal intensive care unit in the United States]

In December 2022, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a clinical guideline for point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The guideline outlined the development and current status of POCUS in the NICU, and summarized the key elements and implementation guidelines for successful implementation of POCUS in the NICU. This article provides an overview of the key points of the clinical guideline and analyzes the current status of POCUS in China, providing a reference for the implementation of POCUS in neonatal care in China.

Guideline-Based Algorithmic Recommendations Versus Multidisciplinary Team Advice for Gynecologic Oncology

Evidence-based clinical decision making in oncology is challenging. Multi-disciplinary team (MDTs) meetings are organized to consider different diagnostic and treatment options. MDT advice are often based on clinical practice guideline recommendations which can be extensive and ambiguous, making it difficult to implement in clinical practice. To address this issue, guideline-based algorithms have been developed. These are applicable in clinical practice and enable accurate guideline adherence evaluation. This ongoing study aims to determine the optimal decision-making approach for different subpopulations of patients with high-incidence gynecological cancers.

Consensus document on the management of hyponatraemia of the Acqua Group of the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition

INTRODUCTION

Hyponatremia is the most prevalent electrolyte disorder in the outpatient and inpatient settings. Despite this frequency, hyponatremia, including severe hyponatremia, is frequently underestimated and inadequately treated, thus highlighting the need to produce consensus documents and clinical practice guidelines geared towards improving the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to it in a structured fashion.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Members of the Acqua Group of the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition (SEEN) met using a networking methodology over a period of 20 months (between October 2019 and August 2021) with the aim of discussing and developing an updated guideline for the management of hyponatraemia. A literature search of the available scientific evidence for each section presented in this document was performed.

RESULTS

A document with 8 sections was produced, which sets out to provide updated guidance on the most clinically relevant questions in the management of hyponatraemia. The management of severe hyponatraemia is based on the i.v. administration of a 3% hypertonic solution. For the management of chronic euvolemic hyponatraemia, algorithms for the initiation of treatment with the two pharmacological therapeutic options currently available in Spain are presented: urea and tolvaptan.

CONCLUSIONS

This document sets out to simplify the approach to and the treatment of hyponatraemia, making it easier to learn and thus improve the clinical approach to hyponatremia.

Impact of hospital characteristics on best-practice adherence for gallstone pancreatitis: a nationwide analysis

BACKGROUND

Current guidelines recommend cholecystectomy during the index admission for gallstone pancreatitis, and a growing body of evidence indicates that patients benefit from cholecystectomy within the first 48 h of admission. We examined the impact of hospital characteristics on adherence to these data-driven practices.

METHODS

We queried the National Inpatient Sample for patients admitted for gallstone pancreatitis between October 2015 and December 2018. Patients who underwent same-admission cholecystectomy were identified by procedure codes. Cholecystectomies within the first two days were classified as early cholecystectomies. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the association between hospital characteristics and adherence to these practices.

RESULTS

Of 163,390 admissions for gallstone pancreatitis, only 90,790 (55.6%) underwent cholecystectomy before discharge. Mean time from admission to cholecystectomy was 2.9 days; 27.0% of patients (44,005) underwent early cholecystectomy. Odds of same-admission cholecystectomy were highest in large hospitals (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.13-1.28), urban teaching centers (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.21-1.46), and the South (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.57-1.83). Odds of early cholecystectomy did not vary with hospital size, urban-rural status, or teaching status but were highest in the West (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.80-2.18).

CONCLUSION

Best-practice adherence for cholecystectomy in gallstone pancreatitis remains low despite an abundance of evidence and clinical practice guidelines. Active interventions are needed to improve delivery of surgical care for this patient population. Implementation efforts should focus on small hospitals, rural areas, and health systems in the Northeast region.

Community-acquired pneumonia - An EFIM guideline critical appraisal adaptation for internists

BACKGROUND

In real-life settings, guidelines frequently cannot be followed since many patients are multimorbid and/or elderly or have other complicating conditions which carry an increased risk of drug-drug interactions. This document aimed to adapt recommendations from existing clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) to assist physicians' decision-making processes concerning specific and complex scenarios related to acute CAP.

METHODS

The process for the adaptation procedure started with the identification of unsolved clinical questions (PICOs) in patients with CAP and continued with critically appraising the updated existing CPGs and choosing the recommendations, which are most applicable to these specific scenarios.

RESULTS

Seventeen CPGs were appraised to address five PICOs. Twenty-seven recommendations were endorsed based on 7 high, 9 moderate, 10 low, and 1 very low-quality evidence. The most valid recommendations applicable to the clinical practice were the following ones: Respiratory virus testing is strongly recommended during periods of increased respiratory virus activity. Assessing the severity with a validated prediction rule to discriminate where to treat the patient is strongly recommended along with reassessing the patient periodically for improvement as expected. In adults with multiple comorbidities, polypharmacy, or advanced age, it is strongly recommended to check for possible drug interactions before starting treatment. Strong graded recommendations exist on antibiotic treatment and its duration. Recommendations on the use of biomarkers such as C-reactive protein or procalcitonin to improve severity assessment are reported.

CONCLUSION

This document provides a simple and reliable updated guide for clinical decision-making in the management of complex patients with multimorbidity and CAP in the real-life setting.

Assessing the impact of a national clinical guideline for the management of chronic pain on opioid prescribing rates: a controlled interrupted time series analysis

BACKGROUND

Opioids can be effective analgesics, but long-term use may be associated with harms. In 2013, the first national, comprehensive, evidence-based pain management guideline was published, from the Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network (SIGN 136: Management of Chronic Pain) with key recommendations on analgesic prescribing. This study aimed to examine the potential impact on national opioid prescribing rates in Scotland.

METHODS

Trends in national and regional community opioid prescribing data for Scotland were analysed from quarter one (Q1) 2005 to Q2 2020. Interrupted time series regression examined the association of SIGN 136 publication with prescribing rates for opioid-containing drugs. Gabapentinoid prescribing was used as a comparison drug.

RESULTS

After a positive prescribing trend pre-publication, the timing of SIGN 136 publication was associated with a negative change in the trend of opioid prescribing rates (-2.82 items per 1000 population per quarter [PTPPQ]; P < 0.01). By Q2 2020, the relative reduction in the opioid prescribing rate was -20.67% (95% CI: -23.61, -17.76). This persisted after correcting for gabapentinoid prescribing and was mainly driven by the reduction in weak opioids, whereas strong opioid prescribing rates continued to rise. Gabapentinoid prescribing showed a significant rise in level (8.00 items per 1000 population; P = 0.01) and trend (0.27 items PTPPQ; P = 0.01) following SIGN 136 publication.

CONCLUSIONS

The publication of SIGN 136 was associated with a reduction in opioid prescribing rates. This suggests that changes in clinical policy through evidence-based national clinical guidelines may affect community opioid prescribing, though this may be partially replaced by gabapentinoids, and other factors may also contribute.

From conventional to living guidelines - faster updates for better informed guidance? A scoping review

OBJECTIVE

The goal of living guidelines is keeping recommendations in guidelines up-to-date as new evidence becomes available. This review aims at scoping the prevalence and formal characteristics of living guidelines in the field of medicine and explore differences between formats.

METHODS

A selective search of living guidelines in MEDLINE via PubMed, Google Scholar and six relevant online repositories for guidelines (MAGICApp, AWMF, GIN, NICE, WHO-Iris, BIGG) was conducted. Authors and editors were contacted to receive previous non-living guideline versions. Living guidelines were subsequently analyzed according to pre-defined methodological criteria as described below (inter-comparison). Differences between living and their conventional (non-living) versions were assessed (intra-comparison).

RESULTS

83 living guidelines were identified and selected for further screening, out of which 26 were eligible for analysis. 61.5% were new publications (de-novo guidelines) and 38.5% updates of pre-existing guidelines. There are some concepts defining, for example, the update cycle (AWMF, maximum of 12 months) but not all living guidelines follow or refer to existing concepts. The analysis shows that living guidelines in line with the established standards for (non-living) clinical guidelines involve an evidence standard, an extensive consensus process (often in the form of a Delphi process), and the inclusion of stakeholders (patients/relatives) in the development process, despite the high frequency of updates. When comparing living and conventional guidelines with the descriptive approach changes were found in update frequency (being more frequent with living guidelines, annually at the latest) and publication format (towards more digital) and public consultation (living guidelines offered more possibilities), no substantial methodological differences were observed in the description of consensus processes, changes in number of recommendations, inclusion of patient representatives. Given the small number of comparable pairs, the results reflect a tendency in the analyzed sample.

CONCLUSIONS

The definition and development of living guidelines varied. Standardization (i. e. in the form of a checklist, procedure template) is needed to assess quality of the living process.

Recommendations of the Spanish Society of Thoracic Surgery for the management of malignant pleural effusion

This article summarizes the clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of malignant pleural effusion (MPE) sponsored by the Spanish Society of Thoracic Surgery (SECT). Ten clinical controversies were elaborated under the methodology of PICO (Patient, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) questions and the quality of the evidence and grading of the strength of the recommendations was based on the GRADE system. Immunocytochemical and molecular analyses of pleural fluid may avoid further invasive diagnostic procedures. Currently, the definitive control of MPE can be achieved either by pleurodesis (talc poudrage or slurry) or the insertion of a indwelling pleural catheter (IPC). It is likely that the combination of both techniques (i.e., thoracoscopy with talc poudrage and insertion of a IPC, or instillation of talc slurry through a IPC) will have a predominant role in the future therapeutic management.

Trends in drug prescriptions for type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia among adults with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Clinical guidelines recommend specific drugs for type 2 diabetes (T2D), hypertension, and dyslipidemia in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and/or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). We aimed to investigate the differences in prescription trends of antidiabetic, antihypertensive, and lipid-lowering drugs among adult patients according to the presence of comorbid NAFLD and/or NASH.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using a large claims database from January 2013 to December 2020.

RESULTS

Among 7,716,908 people, 47,157 patients with T2D, 180,050 with hypertension, and 191,348 with dyslipidemia were identified. A total of 8,897, 16,451, and 24,762 patients with NAFLD, as well as 435, 523, and 1033 patients with NASH, had T2D, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, respectively. Among antidiabetic drugs, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) and thiazolidine were more frequently prescribed to patients with NAFLD than to those without NAFLD (non-NAFLD) (thiazolidine: 1.4% and 2.8% and SGLT2is: 17.8% and 25.9% for non-NAFLD and NAFLD, respectively [2019-2020]). Among antihypertensive drugs, angiotensin II receptor antagonists exhibited a slightly higher prescription ratio in patients with NAFLD (33.6% vs. 39.0%). Regarding lipid-lowering drugs, fibrates were more frequently prescribed to patients with NAFLD (10.3% vs. 18.4%).

CONCLUSIONS

Specific drugs tended to be prescribed to patients with NAFLD. However, the differences in prescription ratios were not considerable. Further investigation is required to confirm the effects of drugs on the prognosis of patients with NAFLD or NASH.

The International Guideline Evaluation Screening Tool (IGEST): development and validation

Background

Guideline adaptation provides an important alternative to de novo guideline development by making the process more efficient and reducing unnecessary duplication. The quality evaluation of international guidelines is an essential part of the adaptation process.

The study aims at describing the development and validation of a new tool to screen trustworthy Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) for their adoption/adaption: the International Guideline Evaluation Screening Tool (IGEST).

Methods

The process of developing the IGEST involved two main phases: 1) tool development and 2) content validation. The tool development phase comprised three stages, where the scope of the IGEST was defined and the item pool was generated and refined. The content validation was performed through the computation of a content validity index (CVI) based on the opinions of an expert panel.

Results

All the items obtained a CVI >0.78, which resulted in the validation of the instrument. The final instrument comprised four preliminary conditions and 12 criteria organised into three dimensions: (i) the management of conflict of interest; (ii) the quality of evidence and the coherence between evidence and recommendations; and (iii) the panel composition.

Conclusion

The IGEST showed good content validity for assessing the quality of international guidelines. Using the new tool to select trustworthy guidelines might increase the likelihood that international clinical practice guidelines will be adopted/adapted to the local context by allowing a quick screening of existing guidelines trustworthiness and providing an acceptability threshold that supports the decision-making process.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12874-022-01618-5.

2021 World Health Organization guideline on pharmacological treatment of hypertension: Policy implications for the region of the Americas

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the Americas and raised blood pressure accounts for over 50% of CVD. In the Americas over a quarter of adult women and four in ten adult men have hypertension and the diagnosis, treatment and control are suboptimal. In 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) released an updated guideline for the pharmacological treatment of hypertension in adults. This policy paper highlights the facilitating role of the WHO Global HEARTS initiative and the HEARTS in the Americas initiative to catalyze the implementation of this guideline, provides specific policy advice for implementation, and emphasizes that an overarching strategic approach for hypertension control is needed. The authors urge health advocates and policymakers to prioritize the prevention and control of hypertension to improve the health and wellbeing of their populations and to reduce CVD health disparities within and between populations of the Americas.

Treatment of difficult-to-treat depression - clinical guideline for selected interventions

BACKGROUND

Difficult-to-treat-depression (DTD) is a clinical challenge. The interventions that are well-established for DTD are not suitable or effective for all the patients. Therefore, more treatment options are highly warranted. We formulated an evidence-based guideline concerning six interventions not well-established for DTD in Denmark.

METHODS

Selected review questions were formulated according to the PICO principle with specific definitions of the patient population (P), the intervention (I), the comparison (C), and the outcomes of interest (O), and systematic literature searches were performed stepwise for each review question to identify relevant systematic reviews/meta-analyses, and randomized controlled trials. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. Clinical recommendations were formulated based on the evidence, the risk-benefit ratio, and perceived patient preferences.

RESULTS

We found sufficient evidence for a weak recommendation of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and cognitive behavioural analysis system of psychotherapy (CBASP). The use of bright light therapy in DTD was not sufficiently supported by the evidence, but should be considered as good clinical practice. The interventions should be considered in addition to ongoing antidepressant treatment. We did not find sufficient evidence to recommend intravenous ketamine/esketamine, rumination-focused psychotherapy, or cognitive remediation to patients with DTD.

CONCLUSION

The evidence supported two of the six reviewed interventions, however it was generally weak which emphasizes the need for more good quality studies. This guideline does not cover all treatment options and should be regarded as a supplement to relevant DTD-guidelines.

[Creating evidence for naturopathic nursing interventions in oncology - a systematic approach]

BACKGROUND

Nurses working in oncology use a wide range of naturopathic interventions in their daily practice to alleviate symptoms and improve the quality of life of oncological patients. However, there is no external evidence for many of these interventions. Due to a lack of scientific studies in the field, the aim of the project described here is to develop a standardized procedure to generate evidence on naturopathic interventions, on the basis of which recommendations may be derived for nursing practice.

METHOD

The systematic procedure presented here was developed by the working group (WG) Integrative Nursing in Oncology over a period of four years in an iterative process. This process is based on the expert panel members' experience with the development of guidelines and/or quality instruments such as practice standards.

RESULT

The systematic methodological approach presented here consists of three successive steps where internal and external evidence have been combined: a scoping review, a structured consensus process with oncology nurses to collect and evaluate naturopathic interventions, and finally a further supplementary literature review based on additional findings of the consensus conference. The procedure was successfully carried out for mucositis, insomnia, fatigue, hand-foot syndrome and chemotherapy-induced polyneuropathy.

CONCLUSION

Through the step-by-step synthesis of internal evidence and the best available external evidence, the evidence base for naturopathic nursing interventions in oncology can be generated and practice recommendations derived. The procedure represents a successful theory-practice transfer through structured cooperation between (nursing) scientists and nursing practitioners. In terms of the AWMF classification, the practice recommendations developed in the process described fall somewhere in between an S1 guideline (informal consensus of an expert group) and an S2e guideline (evidence-based).

An exploration of the perspectives of individuals and their caregivers on pressure ulcer/injury prevention and management to inform the development of a clinical guideline

BACKGROUND

Consumer engagement is a requirement of high quality clinical guidelines. Developing strategies to engage consumers and incorporate the perspectives of individuals with or at risk of pressure ulcers/injuries and their informal caregivers was one priority in the recent update of the EPUAP/NPIAP/PPPIA's Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers/Injuries: Clinical Practice Guideline.

AIMS

The aims were to determine the goals of individuals and caregivers for pressure ulcer/injury care, priorities for pressure ulcer/injury education and biggest problems related to pressure ulcers/injuries.

METHODS

An online, anonymous, international 10-item survey, accessible in nine languages was provided to individuals and their caregivers from April to October 2018. Descriptive statistics were used for quantitative data and a thematic analysis approach was used to analyse qualitative data.

RESULTS

There were 1233 individuals from 27 countries who completed the survey. Overall, individuals and caregivers had similar goals of care. Reducing the size of pressure ulcer/injury was selected more often as a care goal than complete healing. Individuals, compared to caregivers, considered managing pain more important. Qualitative data analysis identified five themes including knowledge, attitudes, and skills; risk factors for pressure ulcer/injury; accessing pressure ulcer/injury care; quality of life for patients and caregivers; and the pressure ulcer/injury.

CONCLUSIONS

The consumer survey provided consumer engagement and perspective that was incorporated into guideline development, including consideration during evaluation of the relevance and acceptability of recommendations, and assignment of recommendation strength ratings.

Conservative pulp therapy in the management of reversible and irreversible pulpitis

Conservative pulp therapy is an alternative treatment option to tooth removal and root canal treatment in the management of deep caries, traumatic pulp exposures and developmental anomalies. Pulp tissue preservation can extend the long-term survival of teeth through relatively simple restorative procedures. This article aims to update clinicians on the current state of research in materials, techniques and outcomes of vital pulp therapies and provide practical guidelines for their implementation into daily practice.

The inguinal hernia management in Costa Rica according to a survey between surgeons: result comparison with 2018 International Groin Hernia Guidelines

Background

Inguinal hernia surgery is a frequent procedure among general surgeons in Costa Rica, but the management and technique are not uniform. The International Guideline for Groin Hernia management was published in 2018 to standardize the inguinal hernia surgery, but the diffusion of the guidelines and its adherence have been extremely varied.

Purpose

Collect and analyze the current reality regarding groin hernia management in Costa Rica. Secondly evaluate the diffusion and development comparing it to the guideline’s recommendations.

Method

Questionnaire of 42 single and multiple answer questions according to the topics of the International Guideline directed to general surgeons. Diffusion of the inquiry through surgical and hernia association chats and email. Timeframe June–December 2019.

Results

64 surveys were collected, which is a representative number of the general surgeons national college. The most frequent procedure between these was the abdominal wall surgery. Every surgeon did more than 52 groin hernia surgeries in one year, most of them outpatients. The epidural anesthesia was used the most and Lichtenstein’s technique was the most frequently used (64%). 68% of the surgeons know how to perform a minimally invasive inguinal hernia surgery but with variable volumes. 38% of participants considered themselves experts in groin hernia management and 52% did not know the 2018 International Guideline. The recommendations of such guideline are followed only partially.

Conclusions

The 2018 Hernia Surge International Guidelines have low diffusion among Costa Rican surgeons. The laparoscopic approach is widely accepted but there are no studies to assess the results and the quality. There should be protocols and studies adapted to Costa Rica’s national situation.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12893-021-01156-9.

What is the impact of clinical guidelines on imaging costs?

Inappropriate and irrational use of numerous advanced diagnostic imaging technologies has recently been highlighted in many countries and has gathered the attention of policymakers. This matter has not only increased health costs in countries but also resulted in adverse health results. Various factors are involved in the inappropriate or unnecessary use of advanced medical imaging techniques including patient-related, physician-related, technological, and ultimately radiologist-related factors. This calls for the provision of new guidelines by policymakers to encourage all service providers to make appropriate use of such techniques. One of the main approaches in this regard is the application of clinical guidelines and decision support systems. The present study was a systematized review that conducted in January 2019, and the articles related to palliative care requirements on databases of Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Ovid, ProQuest, Wiley, and Google Scholar from January 1, 2009, to January 20, 2019, were searched. Strategy for searching and selecting the articles was Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Guidelines. Overview of the studies shows that various reasons for the overuse of diagnostic imaging technologies and effects of applying clinical guidelines on reducing diagnostic costs of treatment are investigated in this article with respect to various aspects and viewpoints. Clinical guidelines can be significantly effective in evaluating suitability and quality of referrals for diagnostic imaging, if only adapted properly.

Evidence-based consensus for treating incipient enamel caries in adults by non-invasive methods: recommendations by GRADE guideline

Remineralization treatment, which offers the advantage of being non-invasive, is increasingly being used as a minimal intervention treatment in managing incipient enamel caries. The aim of this review was to develop EBM guideline for optimized strategies for non-invasive treatment of incipient enamel caries. Japanese Society of Conservative Dentistry (JSCD) guideline committee formulated a Guideline for treating incipient enamel caries using the GRADE system, which is the global, mainstream standard for guideline development. The committee selected the most frequent clinical questions (CQs) in treating incipient enamel caries and identified clinically important outcomes in evaluating the efficacy of treatments. Using extensive electronic and manual searches, relevant randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials were identified. Based on evidence profiles produced by the committee, the panel discussed the effects, benefits and disadvantages of the selected treatments, as well as their cost effectiveness and feasibility, in order to achieve a consensus in treating incipient enamel caries non-invasively. A recommendation was made for each clinical question after voting by the panel members. Based on the evidence profile and panel discussions for each CQ, the experts strongly recommended application of topical fluoride to inhibit cavitation of incipient enamel caries, and to diminish white spot lesions.

Executive Summary of the 2020 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and National Kidney Foundation Clinical Practice Guideline for Nutrition in CKD

The 2020 update to KDOQI Clinical Practice Guidelines for Nutrition in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a result of the collaboration between the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Academy). The target population for this guideline is adults with stages 1 through 5 CKD who are not receiving dialysis, end-stage kidney disease including those on dialysis, and individuals with functional kidney transplant. The updated guideline includes 83 recommendations on important nutrition topics in CKD, including nutrition screening and assessment; medical nutrition therapy; dietary protein and energy intake; micronutrients; electrolytes; nutritional supplementation; and dietary patterns. Both Academy and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approaches were used to assess quality of evidence and rate the recommendation statements. Guideline recommendations were the result of a comprehensive systematic review, clinical expertise, and considerations for individualized care.

Current Treatment Modalities for Osteonecrosis of Femoral Head in Mainland China: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective

To investigate the application of treatment modalities for patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) in mainland China.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study was based on the online application of China Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head Database (CONFHD). Between July 2016 to December 2018, the CONFHD program planned to recruit ONFH patients from 12 administrative areas across mainland China. Real‐world medical records of treatment regimens for these patients, including surgeries and prescriptions, were approved to upload to the CONFHD application for further analysis. The surgeries performed on these patients were classified into total hip arthroplasty and hip‐preserving procedures, and the latter was further classified into core decompression, bone grafting, and tantalum rod implantation. Prescription medications were classified into chemical medicine and Chinese herbal medicine (CHM); chemical medicine was further classified according to their chemical compounds, and CHM was classified according to therapeutic functions based on traditional Chinese medicine theory. Descriptive analysis was performed to summarize the application of different treatment regimens on the overall sample.

Results

A total of 1491 patients (2381 hips) who fulfilled the protocol criteria were included. There were 1039 males and 452 females with a mean age of 47.29 ± 12.69 years. The causes of ONFH were alcoholism in 642 patients (43%), corticosteroid in 439 patients (29%), trauma in 239 patients (16%), and idiopathic ONFH in 171 patients (11%). Operative treatments (including total hip arthroplasty and hip‐preserving procedures) were performed on 49% of patients (43% of hips), chemical medicine therapy (including bisphosphonate, statins, and prostacyclin) was given to 37% of patients (37% of hips), and CHM was administrated to 72% of patients (75% of hips). The aforementioned interventions were not always used alone, since 47% of patients (52% of hips) received combined regimens with multiple interventions. Among hips treated by surgery, all hips with ARCO stage IV ONFH received THA (305 hips), and THA was also performed on 63 hips with stage II ONFH. Over half of hips with stage I (81%), II (91%), and III (92%) ONFH had received pharmacological treatments. Prostacyclin and bisphosphonate were the top two most prescribed medicines used alone. CHM therapies with multiple CHM functions were more commonly prescribed.

Conclusion

Current treatment modalities for ONFH patients in mainland China include operative treatment, chemical medicine, and CHM. Combined regimens with different treatment modalities are common in real‐world clinical practices.

Temporomandibular Disorder: a practical guide for dental practitioners in diagnosis and management

Temporomandibular disorder is a broad term encompassing pain and/or dysfunction of the masticatory musculature and the temporomandibular joints. Pain arising from a temporomandibular disorder is a common reason for seeking dental care. It is essential that dental practitioners are able to accurately diagnose and manage this condition. Identifying people at highest risk of developing a temporomandibular disorder and knowing which procedures are more likely to initiate or exacerbate a temporomandibular disorder, are important to reduce the likelihood of its acute and chronic presentation. The aim of this paper is to provide the dental practitioner with a clinical guideline for reference including practical tools to examine, diagnose and manage patients with temporomandibular disorder. In addition the risk profile of patients and procedures is explored to help minimize the occurrence of temporomandibular disorders and mitigate its symptoms. The scope of the dental practitioner in the management of acute and chronic temporomandibular disorders is presented, with guidance about when referral to a specialist is indicated.

Testing a mobile app for child abuse treatment: A mixed methods study

Objective

This study provides a preliminary evaluation of the usability and acceptability of a mobile application (sexual assault care algorithm, SACA).

Methods

An explanatory sequential mixed methods research was used. A quantitative survey was followed up by a qualitative study. A convenience sample of participants (n = 4) was recruited. The research was conducted on a one-on-one basis. In the quantitative phase, a random assignment technique was used to divide four participants into two groups of two participants each. Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire(PSSUQ) and Acceptability e-Scale were used to collect quantitative data. In the qualitative phase, interview, observation, and documentation were used to collect qualitative data. Data were analyzed both quantitative and qualitatively. The qualitative data were linked with the initial quantitative data to determine how the follow-up qualitative data helped explain the initial quantitative results.

Results

The quantitative results suggested that SACA has high usability (5.05 ± 1.83) and acceptability (3.81 ± 1.22). The qualitative results further indicate that the participants thought SACA was easy to use and useful, and most of them would recommend it to others. Areas of improvement include adding features that would calculate and validate the elapsed time since the sexual assault, adding explanations to some buttons, and providing training.

Conclusions

Our findings highlight the value of using a mixed methods research design to conduct a usability and acceptability test. Nurses are more likely to adopt a new technology for their evidence-based practice when the technology is easy to use and useful and requires less time to find the right piece of guideline evidence. Individualized training needs to be designed based on users’ characteristics.

Using predictive process monitoring to assist thrombolytic therapy decision-making for ischemic stroke patients

Background

Although clinical guidelines provide the best practice for medical activities, there are some limitations in using clinical guidelines to assistant decision-making in practical application, such as long update cycle and low compliance of doctors with the guidelines. Driven by data of actual cases, process mining technology provides the possibility to remedy these shortcomings of clinical guidelines.

Methods

We propose a clinical decision support method using predictive process monitoring, which could be complementary with clinical guidelines, to assist medical staff with thrombolytic therapy decision-making for stroke patients. Firstly, we construct a labeled data set of 1191 cases to show whether each case actually need thrombolytic therapy, and whether it conform to the clinical guidelines. After prefix extraction and filtering the control flow of completed cases, the sequences with data flow are encoded, and corresponding prediction models are trained.

Results

Compared with the labeled results, the average accuracy of our prediction models for intravenous thrombolysis and arterial thrombolysis on the test set are 0.96 and 0.91, and AUC are 0.93 and 0.85 respectively. Compared with the recommendation of clinical guidelines, the accuracy, recall and AUC of our predictive models are higher.

Conclusions

The performance and feasibility of this method are verified by taking thrombolytic decision-making of patients with ischemic stroke as an example. When the clinical guidelines are not applicable, doctors could be provided with assistant decision-making by referring to similar historical cases using predictive process monitoring.

Recommendations for older adults' physical activity and sedentary behaviour during hospitalisation for an acute medical illness: an international Delphi study

BACKGROUND

Immobility is major contributor to poor outcomes for older people during hospitalisation with an acute medical illness. Yet currently there is no specific mobility guidance for this population, to facilitate sustainable changes in practice. This study aimed to generate draft physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) recommendations for older adults' during hospitalisation for an acute medical illness.

METHODS

A 4-Round online Delphi consensus survey was conducted. International researchers, medical/nursing/physiotherapy clinicians, academics from national PA/SB guideline development teams, and patients were invited to participate. Round 1 sought responses to open-ended questions. In Rounds 2-3, participants rated the importance of items using a Likert scale (1-9); consensus was defined a priori as: ≥70% of respondents rating an item as "critical" (score ≥ 7) and ≤ 15% of respondents rating an item as "not important" (score ≤ 3). Round 4 invited participants to comment on draft statements derived from responses to Rounds 1-3; Round 4 responses subsequently informed final drafting of recommendations.

RESULTS

Forty-nine people from nine countries were invited to each Round; response rates were 94, 90, 85 and 81% from Rounds 1-4 respectively. 43 concepts (items) from Rounds 2 and 3 were incorporated into 29 statements under themes of PA, SB, people and organisational factors in Round 4. Examples of the final draft recommendations (being the revised version of statements with highest participant endorsement under each theme) were: "some PA is better than none", "older adults should aim to minimise long periods of uninterrupted SB during waking hours while hospitalised", "when encouraging PA and minimising SB, people should be culturally responsive and mindful of older adults' physical and mental capabilities" and "opportunities for PA and minimising SB should be incorporated into the daily care of older adults with a focus on function, independence and activities of daily living".

CONCLUSIONS

These world-first consensus-based statements from expert and stakeholder consultation provide the starting point for recommendations to address PA and SB for older adults hospitalised with an acute medical illness. Further consultation and evidence review will enable validation of these draft recommendations with examples to improve their specificity and translation to clinical practice.

Understanding factors that contribute to variations in bronchiolitis management in acute care settings: a qualitative study in Australia and New Zealand using the Theoretical Domains Framework

Background

Bronchiolitis is the most common reason for infants under one year of age to be hospitalised. Despite management being well defined with high quality evidence of no efficacy for salbutamol, adrenaline, glucocorticoids, antibiotics or chest x-rays, substantial variation in practice occurs. Understanding factors that influence practice variation is vital in order to tailor knowledge translation interventions to improve practice. This study explores factors influencing the uptake of five evidence-based guideline recommendations using the Theoretical Domains Framework.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with clinicians in emergency departments and paediatric inpatient areas across Australia and New Zealand exploring current practice, and factors that influence this, based on the Theoretical Domains Framework. Interview transcripts were coded using thematic content analysis.

Results

Between July and October 2016, 20 clinicians (12 doctors, 8 nurses) were interviewed. Most clinicians believed chest x-rays were not indicated and caused radiation exposure (beliefs about consequences). However, in practice their decisions were influenced by concerns about misdiagnosis, severity of illness, lack of experience (knowledge) and confidence in managing infants with bronchiolitis (skills), and parental pressure influencing practice (social influences). Some senior clinicians believed trialling salbutamol might be of benefit for some infants (beliefs about consequences) but others strongly discounted this, believing salbutamol to be ineffective, with high quality evidence supporting this (knowledge). Most were concerned about antibiotic resistance and did not believe in antibiotic use in infants with bronchiolitis (beliefs about consequences) but experienced pressure from parents to prescribe (social influences). Glucocorticoid use was generally believed to be of no benefit (knowledge) with concerns surrounding frequency of use in primary care, and parental pressure (social influences). Nurse’s reinforced evidence-based management of bronchiolitis with junior clinicians (social/professional role and identity). Regular turnover of medical staff, a lack of ‘paediatric confident’ nurses and doctors, reduced senior medical coverage after hours, and time pressure in emergency departments were factors influencing practice (environmental context and resources).

Conclusions

Factors influencing the management of infants with bronchiolitis in the acute care period were identified using the Theoretical Domains Framework. These factors will inform the development of tailored knowledge translation interventions.

Clinical guidelines for total temporomandibular joint replacement

Total joint replacement (TJR) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a promising surgical procedure and device for treating end-stage diseases of the TMJ. For the functional and aesthetic reconstruction of the oral and maxillofacial head and neck region, TMJ TJR significantly helps maintain the patient's quality of life in terms of a better diet, mastication, speech and social interaction. TMJ TJR was approved by regulatory authorities in 2019 in Japan, thus enabling the clinical application of the TJR system. However, the surgery demands particularly difficult and high-risk procedures, necessitating the prudent selection of indicated patients. The joint committee of the Japanese Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and Japanese Society for Temporomandibular Joint is working together to develop an appropriate clinical guideline for TMJ TJR.

Percutaneous vertebroplasty as treatment of malignant vertebral lesions: a systematic review and GRADE evaluation resulting in a Danish national clinical guideline

PURPOSE

To summarize the recommendations from the national clinical guideline published by the Danish Health Authority, regarding cemental augmentation as treatment for painful vertebral lesions, in patients with malignant disease.

METHODS

A multidisciplinary working group formulated recommendations based on the GRADE approach.

RESULTS

Two of the questions were based on randomized studies and one on professional consensus. The guideline recommends cemental augmentation for painful vertebral lesions in patients with malignant diagnosis, either hematological or non-hematological. Fracture of the posterior wall is not a contradiction to cemental augmentation, but care should always be taken while injecting the cement, to decrease the risk of cemental leaks into the spinal canal.

CONCLUSION

The recommendations are based on low-to-moderate quality of evidence or professional consensus as well as patient preferences and positive and harmful effects of the intervention. The working group recommends more randomized studies on patients with different malignant diseases and painful vertebral lesions comparing percutaneous vertebroplasty/kyphoplasty and conservative treatment to confirm the conclusion in this guideline. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.

Recommendations for spiritual care in cancer patients: a clinical practice guideline for oncology nurses in Iran

BACKGROUND

In spite of the necessity of implementing spiritual care practices for cancer patients, there is no clear process in this regard in palliative care programs of the health system of countries. The present study was designed with the aim of developing a clinical practice guideline of spiritual care in cancer patients for oncology nurses in the current context.

METHODS

This is a multi-method study which was conducted in five stages within the framework of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline. A research committee consisting of four focal and 16 secondary members was formed. The stages included determining the scope of the study, developing guideline (a qualitative study and a systematic review, triangulation of the data, and producing a preliminary draft), consultation stage (validation of the guideline in three rounds of the Delphi study), as well as revision and publication stages.

RESULTS

The clinical guideline of spiritual care with 84 evidence-based recommendations was developed in three main areas, including the human resources, care settings, and the process of spiritual care.

CONCLUSIONS

We are hoping by applying this clinical guideline in oncology settings to move towards an integrated spiritual care plan for cancer patients in the context of our health system. Healthcare organizations should support to form spiritual care teams under supervision of the oncology nurses with qualified healthcare providers and a trained clergy. Through holistic care, they can constantly examine the spiritual needs of cancer patients alongside their other needs by focusing on the phases of the nursing process.

Indications of external radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma from updated clinical guidelines: Diverse global viewpoints

The etiology and disease patterns of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) significantly vary among regions. Modern standard treatments commonly require multidisciplinary approaches, including applications of up-to date medicine and advanced procedures, and necessitate the support of socioeconomic systems. For these reasons, a number of clinical guidelines for HCC from different associations and regions have been presented. External beam radiation therapy was contraindicated for HCC until a few decades ago, but with the development of new technologies, its application has rapidly increased as selective irradiation for tumorous lesions became possible. Most of the guidelines had been opposed or indifferent to radiotherapy in the past, but several guidelines have introduced indications and recommendations for radiotherapy in their updated versions. This review will discuss the characteristics of important guidelines and their contents regarding radiotherapy and will also provide guidance to physicians who are considering applications of locoregional modalities that include radiotherapy.

2019 Novel coronavirus: where we are and what we know

There is a current worldwide outbreak of a new type of coronavirus (2019-nCoV), which originated from Wuhan in China and has now spread to 17 other countries. Governments are under increased pressure to stop the outbreak spiraling into a global health emergency. At this stage, preparedness, transparency, and sharing of information are crucial to risk assessments and beginning outbreak control activities. This information should include reports from outbreak sites and from laboratories supporting the investigation. This paper aggregates and consolidates the virology, epidemiology, clinical management strategies from both English and Chinese literature, official news channels, and other official government documents. In addition, by fitting the number of infections with a single-term exponential model, we report that the infection is spreading at an exponential rate, with a doubling period of 1.8 days.

The cost-utility of stepped-care algorithms according to depression guideline recommendations - Results of a state-transition model analysis

BACKGROUND

Evidence-based clinical guidelines for major depressive disorder (MDD) recommend stepped-care strategies for sequencing evidence-based treatments conditional on treatment outcomes. This study aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of stepped care as recommended by the multidisciplinary clinical guideline vis-à-vis usual care in the Netherlands.

METHODS

Guideline-congruent care as described in stepped-care algorithms for either mild MDD or moderate and severe MDD was compared with usual care in a health-economic state-transition simulation model. Incremental costs per QALY gained were estimated over five years from a healthcare perspective.

RESULTS

For mild MDD, the cost-utility analysis showed a 67% likelihood of better health outcomes against lower costs, and 33% likelihood of better outcomes against higher costs, implying dominance of guideline-congruent stepped care. For moderate and severe MDD, the cost-utility analysis indicated a 67% likelihood of health gains at higher costs following the stepped-care approach and 33% likelihood of health gains at lower costs, with a mean ICER of about €3,200 per QALY gained. At a willingness to pay threshold of €20,000 per QALY, the stepped-care algorithms for both mild MDD and moderate or severe MDD is deemed cost-effective compared to usual care with a greater than 95% probability.

LIMITATIONS

The findings of our decision-analytic modelling are limited by the accuracy and availability of the underlying evidence. This hampers taking into account all individual differences relevant to optimise treatment to individual needs.

CONCLUSIONS

It is highly likely that guideline-congruent stepped care for MDD is cost-effective compared to usual care. Our findings support current guideline recommendations.

Implementation of a politically initiated national clinical guideline for cardiac rehabilitation in hospitals and municipalities in Denmark

A politically initiated national clinical guideline was launched in Denmark in 2013 to improve quality and equality of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) services. The guideline is to be implemented in both hospital and community (municipality) settings due to shared responsibility for provision of CR services. Little is known about implementation outcomes of a guideline in these two settings. We aimed to study this by determining the extent to which Danish CR services in hospitals and municipalities adhered to national recommendations following the launch of the guideline. The study employed an observational, longitudinal design. Data were gathered by a questionnaire survey to compare CR services at baseline, measured in 2013 immediately before the guideline was launched, with CR services at a two-year follow up in 2015. All Danish hospital departments offering CR services (N = 36) and all municipalities (N = 98) were included. Data were analysed using inferential statistics. Hospitals reported improvement of both content and quality of CR services. Municipalities reported no change in content of services, and lower level of fulfilment of one quality aspect. The results suggest that the guideline had different impact in hospitals and municipalities and that the differences in content and quality of services between the two settings increased in the study period, thus contradicting the guideline´s aim of uniform, evidence-based content of CR services across settings.

Clinical practice guidelines for diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in adults and children in the UK: a narrative review

BACKGROUND

Research suggests that diagnostic procedures for Autism Spectrum Disorder are not consistent across practice and that diagnostic rates can be affected by contextual and social drivers. The purpose of this review was to consider how the content of clinical practice guidelines shapes diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorder in the UK; and investigate where, within those guidelines, social factors and influences are considered.

METHODS

We electronically searched multiple databases (NICE Evidence Base; TRIP; Social Policy and Practice; US National Guidelines Clearinghouse; HMIC; The Cochrane Library; Embase; Global health; Ovid; PsychARTICLES; PsychINFO) and relevant web sources (government, professional and regional NHS websites) for clinical practice guidelines. We extracted details of key diagnostic elements such as assessment process and diagnostic tools. A qualitative narrative analysis was conducted to identify social factors and influences.

RESULTS

Twenty-one documents were found and analysed. Guidelines varied in recommendations for use of diagnostic tools and assessment procedures. Although multidisciplinary assessment was identified as the 'ideal' assessment, some guidelines suggested in practice one experienced healthcare professional was sufficient. Social factors in operational, interactional and contextual areas added complexity to guidelines but there were few concrete recommendations as to how these factors should be operationalized for best diagnostic outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Although individual guidelines appeared to present a coherent and systematic assessment process, they varied enough in their recommendations to make the choices available to healthcare professionals particularly complex and confusing. We recommend a more explicit acknowledgement of social factors in clinical practice guidelines with advice about how they should be managed and operationalised to enable more consistency of practice and transparency for those coming for diagnosis.

Part II: Therapy and Prevention

BACKGROUND

We aimed to update the 2010 evidence- and consensus-based national clinical guideline on the diagnosis and management of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) in adult patients. Results are published in 2 parts. Part 1 covers methods, the definition of patient groups, and diagnostics. This second publication focuses on treatment of acute episodes of cystitis and pyelonephritis as well as on prophylaxis of recurrent UTIs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An interdisciplinary group consisting of 17 representatives of 12 medical societies and a patient representative was formed. Systematic literature searches were conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library to identify literature published in 2010-2015.

RESULTS

For the treatment of acute uncomplicated cystitis (AUC), fosfomycin-trometamol, nitrofurantoin, nitroxoline, pivmecillinam, and trimethoprim (depending on the local rate of resistance) are all equally recommended. Cotrimoxazole, fluoroquinolones, and cephalosporins are not recommended as antibiotics of first choice, for concern of an unfavorable impact on the microbiome. Mild to moderate uncomplicated pyelonephritis should be treated with oral cefpodoxime, ceftibuten, ciprofloxacin, or levofloxacin. For AUC with mild to moderate symptoms, instead of antibiotics symptomatic treatment alone may be considered depending on patient preference after discussing adverse events and outcomes. Primarily non-antibiotic options are recommended for prophylaxis of recurrent urinary tract infection.

CONCLUSION

In accordance with the global antibiotic stewardship initiative and considering new insights in scientific research, we updated our German clinical UTI guideline to promote a responsible antibiotic use and to give clear hands-on recommendations for the diagnosis and management of UTIs in adults in Germany for healthcare providers and patients.

The 2017 Update of the German Clinical Guideline on Epidemiology, Diagnostics, Therapy, Prevention, and Management of Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections in Adult Patients: Part 1

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to update the 2010 evidence- and consensus-based national clinical guideline on the diagnosis and management of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) in adult patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An interdisciplinary group consisting of 17 representatives of 12 medical societies and a patient representative was formed. Systematic literature searches were conducted in MEDLINE, -EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library to identify literature published in 2010-2015.

RESULTS

We provide 75 recommendations and 68 statements in the updated evidence- and consensus-based national clinical guideline. The diagnostics part covers practical recommendations on cystitis and pyelonephritis for each defined patient group. Clinical examinations, as well as laboratory testing and microbiological pathogen assessment, are addressed.

CONCLUSION

In accordance with the global antibiotic stewardship initiative and considering new insights in scientific research, we updated our German clinical UTI guideline to promote a responsible antibiotic use and to give clear hands-on recommendations for the diagnosis and management of UTIs in adults in Germany for healthcare providers and patients.

Malignant bone tumors (other than Ewing's): clinical practice guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up by Spanish Group for Research on Sarcomas (GEIS)

Primary malignant bone tumors are uncommon and heterogeneous malignancies. This document is a guideline developed by the Spanish Group for Research on Sarcoma with the participation of different specialists involved in the diagnosis and treatment of bone sarcomas. The aim is to provide practical recommendations with the intention of helping in the clinical decision-making process. The diagnosis and treatment of bone tumors requires a multidisciplinary approach, involving as a minimum pathologists, radiologists, surgeons, and radiation and medical oncologists. Early referral to a specialist center could improve patients' survival. The multidisciplinary management of osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, chordoma, giant cell tumor of bone and other rare bone tumors is reviewed in this guideline. Ewing's sarcoma will be the focus of a separate guideline because of its specific biological, clinical and therapeutic features. Each statement has been accompanied by the level of evidence and grade of recommendation on the basis of the available data. Surgical excision is the mainstay of treatment of a localized bone tumor, with various techniques available depending on the histologic type, grade and location of the tumor. Chemotherapy plays an important role in some chemosensitive subtypes (such as high-grade osteosarcoma). In other subtypes, historically considered chemoresistant (such as chordoma or giant cell tumor of bone), new targeted therapies have emerged recently, with a very significant efficacy in the case of denosumab. Radiation therapy is usually necessary in the treatment of chordoma and sometimes of other bone tumors.

Reviewing clinical guideline development tools: features and characteristics

BACKGROUND

To improve consistency and streamline development and publication of clinical guidelines (GL), there is a need for appropriate software support. We have found few specific tools for the actual authoring and maintaining of GLs, and correspondingly few analyses or reviews of GL development tool functionality. In order to assist GL developers in selecting and evaluating tools, this study tries to address the perceived gap by pursuing four goals: 1) identifying available tools, 2) reviewing a representative group of tools and their supported functionalities, 3) uncovering themes of features that the studied tools support, and 4) compare the selected tools with respect to the themes.

METHODS

We conducted a literature search using PubMed and Google Scholar in order to find GL development tools (GDT). We also explored tools and Content Management Systems (CMS) used in representative organisations and international communities that develop and maintain GLs. By reading a selected representative group of five GL tool manuals, exploring tools hands-on, we uncovered 8 themes of features. All found tools were compared according to these themes in order to identify the level of functionality they offer to support the GL development and publishing process. In order to limit the scope, tools for designing computer-interpretable/executable GL are excluded.

RESULTS

After finding 1552 published papers, contacting 7 organizations and international communities, we identified a total of 19 unique tools, of which 5 tools were selected as representative in this paper. We uncovered a total of 8 themes of features according to the identified functionalities that each tool provides. Four features were common among tools: Collaborative authoring process support, user access control, GL repository management, electronic publishing. We found that the GRADE methodology was supported by three of the reviewed tools, while only two tools support annotating GL with MeSH terms. We also identified that monitoring progress, reference management, Managing versions (version control), and Change control (tracking) were often the missing features.

CONCLUSION

The results can promote sector discussion and eventual agreement on important tool functionality. It may aid tool and GL developers towards more efficient, and effective, GL authoring.

Clinical practice guideline for post-ERCP pancreatitis

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERPC) is used for the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic and biliary diseases. Post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) is a complication which needs special care and clinical practice guideline for this morbidity is also needed.

METHODS

The key clinical issues of diagnosis and treatment of PEP were listed and checked, and then the clinical questions were formulated. PubMed (MEDLINE) and Ichushi-web (Japanese medical literature) were used as databases. For the study of diagnostic test accuracy, items similar to QUADAS-2, i.e., random selection from a population to which the diagnostic test is applied, blinding of index tests and reference tests, completeness of reference standard, completeness of test implementations, the same timing of tests, and missing data were assessed as well as the indirectness of the study subjects, index tests, reference standard, and outcomes. Grading of recommendations was determined as strong or weak. In clinical practice, the judgment of attending doctors should be more important than recommendations described in clinical practice guidelines. Gastroenterologists are the target users of this clinical practice guideline. General practitioners or general citizens are not supposed to use this guideline. The guideline committee has decided to include wide clinical issues such as etiological information, techniques of ERCP, the diagnosis, treatments, and monitoring of PEP in this guideline.

RESULTS

In this concise report, we described ten clinical questions, recommendations, and explanations pertaining to risk factors, diagnosis, prognostic factors, treatments, and preventive interventions in the medical practice for PEP.

CONCLUSIONS

We reported here the essence of the clinical practice guideline for PEP.

Clinical Guidelines for the Management of Adrenal Incidentaloma

An adrenal incidentaloma is an adrenal mass found in an imaging study performed for other reasons unrelated to adrenal disease and often accompanied by obesity, diabetes, or hypertension. The prevalence and incidence of adrenal incidentaloma increase with age and are also expected to rise due to the rapid development of imaging technology and frequent imaging studies. The Korean Endocrine Society is promoting an appropriate practice guideline to meet the rising incidence of adrenal incidentaloma, in cooperation with the Korean Adrenal Gland and Endocrine Hypertension Study Group. In this paper, we discuss important core issues in managing the patients with adrenal incidentaloma. After evaluating core proposition, we propose the most critical 20 recommendations from the initially organized 47 recommendations by Delphi technique.

National clinical guidelines for non-surgical treatment of patients with recent onset neck pain or cervical radiculopathy

PURPOSE

To summarise recommendations about 21 selected non-surgical interventions for recent onset (<12 weeks) non-specific neck pain (NP) and cervical radiculopathy (CR) based on two guidelines from the Danish Health Authority.

METHODS

Two multidisciplinary working groups formulated recommendations based on the GRADE approach.

RESULTS

Twelve recommendations were based on evidence and nine on consensus. Management should include information about prognosis, warning signs, and advise to remain active. For treatment, guidelines suggest different types of supervised exercise and manual therapy; combinations of exercise and manual therapy before medicine for NP; acupuncture for NP but not CR; traction for CR; and oral NSAID (oral or topical) and Tramadol after careful consideration for NP and CR.

CONCLUSION

Recommendations are based on low-quality evidence or on consensus, but are well aligned with recommendations from guidelines from North America. The working groups recommend intensifying research relating to all aspects of management of NP and CR.

Methodology for Developing Evidence-Based Clinical Imaging Guidelines: Joint Recommendations by Korean Society of Radiology and National Evidence-Based Healthcare Collaborating Agency

This paper is a summary of the methodology including protocol used to develop evidence-based clinical imaging guidelines (CIGs) in Korea, led by the Korean Society of Radiology and the National Evidence-based Healthcare Collaborating Agency. This is the first protocol to reflect the process of developing diagnostic guidelines in Korea. The development protocol is largely divided into the following sections: set-up, process of adaptation, and finalization. The working group is composed of clinical imaging experts, and the developmental committee is composed of multidisciplinary experts to validate the methodology. The Korean CIGs will continue to develop based on this protocol, and these guidelines will act for decision supporting tools for clinicians as well as reduce medical radiation exposure.

ChIP: An early activation protocol for isolated blunt chest injury improves outcomes, a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Blunt chest injuries not treated in a timely manner with sufficient analgesia, physiotherapy and respiratory support are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of a blunt chest injury early activation protocol (ChIP) on patient and hospital outcomes.

METHODS

In this pre-post cohort study, the outcomes of patients with blunt chest injury who received ChIP were compared against those who did not. Data including injury severity, patient outcomes, hospital treatments and comorbidites were extracted from medical records. The primary outcome was pneumonia. Secondary outcomes evaluated health service delivery. Logistic and multiple regressions were used to adjust for potential confounding variables.

RESULTS

546 patients were included, 273 in the before-ChIP cohort and 273 in the after-ChIP cohort. The incidence of pneumonia following the introduction of ChIP was reduced by 4.8% (95% CI 0.5-9.2, p=0.03). In the after-ChIP cohort, more patients received a pain team review (32% vs. 13%, p<0.001), physiotherapy (93% vs. 86%, p=0.005) and trauma team review (95% vs. 39%, p<0.001). There was no difference in length of stay (p=0.50).

CONCLUSIONS

ChIP improved the delivery of healthcare services and reduced the rate of pneumonia among patients with isolated chest trauma.

Cancer-related fatigue: appraising evidence-based guidelines for screening, assessment and management

PURPOSE

There is inconsistent management of cancer-related fatigue (CRF) by health professionals worldwide. This research aims to identify the most appropriate guidelines for the management of cancer-related fatigue.

METHODS

A systematic search of international literature identified evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for CRF. Four reviewers independently appraised the highest quality guidelines using the AGREE-II instrument and National Heath and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guideline standards.

RESULTS

Five guidelines met the inclusion criteria. Of these, the 2015 Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology (CAPO) CRF guidelines and the 2014 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) fatigue guidelines for cancer survivors were selected for in-depth appraisal. The CAPO guideline scored higher than the ASCO for five domains of the AGREE-II. For one domain, the differences were statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05). The CAPO guideline met 37 of 47 NHMRC mandatory guideline standards and the ASCO guideline met 20. The difference in the proportion of standards met was statistically significant for one domain (p ≤ 0.05). Both guidelines had low scores for applicability and implementation.

CONCLUSIONS

Currently, the CAPO guideline for cancer-related fatigue has the strongest evidence for use. To enhance implementation, further strategies for guideline dissemination and application are needed.