Levels of evidence and grades of recommendation supporting European society for medical oncology clinical practice guidelines

Background:The European Society for Medical Oncology(ESMO)guidelines are among the most comprehensive and widely used clinical practice guidelines(CPGs)globally.However,the level of scientific evidence supporting ESMO CPG recommendations has not been systematically investigated.This study assessed ESMO CPG levels of evidence(LOE)and grades of recommendations(GOR),as well as their trends over time across various cancer settings.Methods:We manually extracted every recommendation with the Infectious Diseases Society of America(IDSA)classification from each CPG.We examined the distribution of LOE and GOR in all available ESMO CPG guidelines across different topics and cancer types.Results:Among the 1,823 recommendations in the current CPG,30%were classified as LOEⅠ,and 43%were classified as GOR A.Overall,there was a slight decrease in LOEⅠ(−2%)and an increase in the proportion of GOR A(+1%)in the current CPG compared to previous versions.The proportion of GOR A recommendations based on higher levels of evidence such as randomized trials(LOEⅠ–Ⅱ)shows a decrease(71%vs.63%,p=0.009)while recommendations based on lower levels of evidence(LOEⅢ–Ⅴ)show an increase(29%vs.37%,p=0.01)between previous and current version.In the current versions,the highest proportion of LOEⅠ(42%)was found in recommendations related to pharmacotherapy,while the highest proportion of GOR A recommendations was found in the areas of pathology(50%)and diagnostic(50%)recommendations.Significant variability in LOEⅠand GOR A recommendations and their changes over time was observed across different cancer types.Conclusion:One-third of the current ESMO CPG recommendations are supported by the highest level of evidence.More well-designed randomized clinical trials are needed to increase the proportion of LOEⅠand GOR A recommendations,ultimately leading to improved outcomes for cancer patients.

Research on the development methodology for clinical practice guidelines for organic integration of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine

Integrated traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)and Western medicine(WM)is a new medical science grounded in the knowledge bases of both TCM and WM,which then forms a unique modern medical system in China.Integrated TCM and WM has a long history in China,and has made important achievements in the process of clinical diagnosis and treatment.However,the methodological defects in currently published clinical practice guidelines(CPGs)limit its development.The organic integration of TCM and WM is a deeper integration of TCM and WM.To realize the progression of"integration"to"organic integration",a targeted and standardized guideline development methodology is needed.Therefore,the purpose of this study is to establish a standardized development procedure for clinical practice guidelines for the organic integration of TCM and WM to promote the systematic integration of TCM and WM research results into clinical practice guidelines in order to achieve optimal results as the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

Clinical practice guideline dissemination and a new approach using Haddon matrix as a conceptual framework of evidence-based implementation strategies

To err is human. Clinical practice guidelines （CPGs） are often not followed and lead to adverse outcomes. The issue on implementation of CPG is complex. A review of CPG implementation is done to identify the barriers and enablers. For the first time, a fishbone diagram is used to delineate the root-causes. And Haddon matrix is applied to help understand the complexity of evidence-based implementation （EBI） strategies.

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.

Guidelines and standards for comprehensive clinical diagnosis and interventional treatment for diabetic foot in China(Issue 7.0)

Diabetic foot(DF)is one of the most common complications of diabetes and is associated with high morbidity,disability,lethality and low cure-rate.The clinical diagnosis and treatment of DF need to be standardized.The Chinese Diabetic Foot Cell and Interventional Therapy Technology Alliance has released six editions of guidelines and standards for clinical diagnosis and interventional treatment of DF,which filled the gap in the domestic DF treatment standard and played an important role in improving the level of diagnosis and treatment in China.In line with the latest developments in diagnosis and treatment,the Alliance,along with other 89 institutions,developed and issued the new edition based on the sixth edition to help standardize the clinical diagnosis and treatment of DF in China.

McKenzie Therapists Adhere More to Evidence-Based Guidelines and Have a More Biopsychosocial Perspective on the Management of Patients with Low Back Pain than General Physical Therapists in Japan

Design: Cross-sectional. Objective: Aim 1 was to preliminarily explore the contributions of the following factors to adherence to LBP practice guidelines using regression modeling: 1) the credential qualification of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT);2) balance of biomedical and behavioral (i.e. biopsychosocial) oriented approach for low back pain (LBP);3) demographics;4) academic degree and 5) the attitude towards updating information for evidence-based clinical practice. Aim 2 was to investigate whether therapists credentialed in MDT (Cred.MDT) were more behavioral oriented and less biomedical oriented than general physical therapists. Summary of Background Data: LBP practice guidelines are not adhered to by every physical therapist. MDT is a behavioral modification approach. Thus, it was hypothesized that the Cred.MDT therapist was more behavioral oriented and more adherent to LBP practice guidelines compared with general physical therapists. Methods: One-hundred-twenty Cred.MDT therapists and 2000 general physical therapists in Japan were contacted. For regression modeling, the dependent variable was adherent to guidelines using a questionnaire with a vignette. Independent variables included balance of biomedical and behavioral perspectives for LBP using the Pain Attitudes and Beliefs Scale for Physiotherapist (PABS-PT), demographics, academic degree and the attitude towards updatinginformation for evidence-based clinical practice. The ratio of the two mean scores of the biomedical and behavioral subscales in the PABS-PT was compared between the Cred.MDT therapist group and the general physical therapists group. Results: Data of 46 general physical therapists and 44 Cred.MDT therapists were available. The Cred.MDT therapist group was significantly (P < 0.05) more behavioral oriented and more adherent to LBP practice guidelines compared with the general physical therapist group. The regression indicated significance of the two predictors of adherence to guidelines, Cred.MDT (β = 0.58, P < 0.001) and academic degree (β = 0.19, P = 0.03). Conclusions: Cred.MDT therapists are more guideline-consistent and have a more biopsychosocial treatment orientation than general physical therapists in Japan.

Clinical practice guidelines for the interventional treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer(5^(th)edition)

Pancreatic cancer has become a major disease affecting people’s health because of its insidiousness,rapid progression and poor prognosis.Based on the practical needs of clinical work,combined with domestic multi-center research and experience,this guideline provides constructive suggestions for the interventional treatment of pancreatic cancer.

On Treatment Patterns for Modeling Medical Treatment Processes in Clinical Practice Guidelines

Clinical practice guidelines(CPGs)contain evidence-based and economically reasonable medical treatment processes.Executable medical treatment processes in healthcare information systems can assist the treatment processes.To this end,business process modeling technologies have been exploited to model medical treatment processes.However,medical treatment processes are usually flexible and knowledge-intensive.To reduce the effort in modeling,we summarize several treatment patterns(i.e.,frequent behaviors in medical treatment processes in CPGs),and represent them by three process modeling languages(i.e.,BPMN,DMN,and CMMN).Based on the summarized treatment patterns,we propose a pattern-based integrated framework for modeling medical treatment processes.A modeling platform is implemented to support the use of treatment patterns,by which the feasibility of our approach is validated.An empirical analysis is discussed based on the coverage rates of treatment patterns.Feedback from interviewed physicians in a Chinese hospital shows that executable medical treatment processes of CPGs provide a convenient way to obtain guidance,thus assisting daily work for medical workers.

Chinese version of NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology officially authorized by NCCN

The publishing conference of the Chinese version of National Comprehensive Cancer Network （NCCN） Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology （hereinafter referred to as NCCN Guidelines） and the inaugural peer reviewer meeting of NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology： Digestive System Cancers （hereinafter referred to as NCCN Guidelines on Digestive System Cancers） were held in People＇s Medical Publishing House in January 28^th, 2016 （Figure 1）.

Colorectal surgeon consensus with diverticulitis clinical practice guidelines

AIM To determine the application of clinical practice guidelines for the current management of diverticulitis and colorectal surgeon specialist consensus in Australia and New Zealand.METHODS A survey was distributed to 205 colorectal surgeons in Australia and New Zealand, using 22 hypothetical clinical scenarios.RESULTS The response rate was 102(50%). For 19 guidelinebased scenarios, only 11(58%) reached consensus(defined as > 70% majority opinion) and agreed with guidelines; while 3(16%) reached consensus and did not agree with guidelines. The remaining 5(26%) scenarios showed community equipoise(defined as less than/equal to 70% majority opinion). These included diagnostic imaging where CT scan was contraindicated, management options in the failureof conservative therapy for complicated diverticulitis, surgical management of Hinchey grade 3, proximal extent of resection in sigmoid diverticulitis and use of oral mechanical bowel preparation and antibiotics for an elective colectomy. The consensus areas not agreeing with guidelines were management of simple diverticulitis, management following the failure of conservative therapy in uncomplicated diverticulitis and follow-up after an episode of complicated diverticulitis. Fifty-percent of rural/regional based surgeons would perform an urgent sigmoid colectomy in failed conservative therapy of diverticulitis compared to only 8% of surgeons city-based(Fisher's exact test P = 0.016). In right-sided complicated diverticulitis, a greater number of those in practice for more than ten years would perform an ileocecal resection and ileocolic anastomosis(79% vs 41%, P < 0.0001).CONCLUSION While there are areas of consensus in diverticulitis management, there are areas of community equipoise for future research, potentially in the form of RCTs.

Positive attitudes towards priority setting in clinical guidelines among Danish general practitioners: A web based survey

Aims: Increasing focus on improvement and optimisation of the treatment in primary care and reduction of healthcare costs emphasize the need to understand which factors determines adherence and non-adherence to clinical guidelines. In the present study, we examined attitudes towards clinical guidelines in Danish general practitioners (GPs). Methods: We conducted a survey among Danish GPs from all five regions of Denmark. In total, 443 GPs answered the web-based questionnaire that contained questions about attitudes and barriers to clinical guidelines. Results: More than 90% of the GPs reported that they have good knowledge of the guidelines and in general follows the guidelines. A majority of the GPs (81%) found it acceptable that economic considerations are part of the guidelines. The most important factors for non- adherence to guidelines were “need of adjustment to clinical practice” and “lack of confidence in guidelines”. The attitudes to clinical guidelines were not significantly associated with practice characteristics such as gender, years of experience, practice organisation and localisation. Conclusions: Our findings show that clinical guidelines are an integrated or internalised part of everyday practice among GPs in Denmark. Furthermore, the findings indicate that Danish GPs are positive towards applying priority setting in their practice. This is decisive in the light of rising healthcare costs due to development of new expensive technologies and ageing populations that puts pressure on the healthcare system in general and primary healthcare in particular.

Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology(CSCO):Clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality in both developed and developing coun-tries.The incidence of pancreatic cancer in China accounts for about a quater of the global incidence,and the epidemiological characteristics and therapeutic strategies differ due to social,economic,cultural,environmental,and public health factors.Non-domestic guidelines do not reflect the clinicopathologic characteristics and treat-ment patterns of Chinese patients.Thus,in 2018,the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology(CSCO)organized a panel of senior experts from all sub-specialties within the field of pancreatic oncology to compile the Chinese guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer.The guidelines were made based on both the Western and Eastern clinical evidence and updated every one or two years.The experts made consensus judg-ments and classified evidence-based recommendations into various grades according to the regional differences,the accessibility of diagnostic and treatment resources,and health economic indexes in China.Here we present the latest version of the guidelines,which covers the diagnosis,treatment,and follow-up of pancreatic cancer.The guidelines might standardize the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer in China and will encourage oncologists to design and conduct more clinical trials about pancreatic cancer.

Obstacles in employing evidence-based practice by nurses in their clinical settings: a descriptive study

Objective: The challenge of employing evidence-based practice (EBP) is multifarious and varied. Nursing interventions supported by research evidence have been exposed to progress positive patient outcomes, while its implementation is faced with various obstacles. This study aimed to identify obstacles in employing EBP by nurses in their clinical settings. Methods: This descriptive design study was conducted at Benha University Hospital with a convenient sample of 154 nurses. Two tools were utilized: (Ⅰ) sociodemographic data sheet, which included sociodemographic characteristics of the participants, and (Ⅱ) interview scale, which contained two parts: (1) obstacles scale, which contained obstacles that impede nurses from the utilization of EBP, and (2) questions to rank the three greatest obstacles in employing EBP by nurses. Results: The greatest EBP obstacle ranked by nurses was the organizational limitations (90.9%), followed by research quality (86.9%) and research accessibility (51.0%), while individual characteristics (35.9%) were ranked as the least obstacle. There was a significant statistical correlation between organizational limitations, research quality as well accessibility-related obstacles and nurses' age, level of education, as well their years of work experience (P<0.05). Conclusions: Findings of this study showed series of obstacles in employing EBP by nurses in their clinical settings, stressing the call for expansion of nurses' capabilities related to EBP utilization in patients' care.

Adherence to Clinical Practice Guidelines during Antenatal Management of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: An Integrative Review

The number of pregnant women affected by gestational Diabetes (GDM) is increasing globally with an estimated prevalence as high as 15%. Gestational Diabetes Miletus is associated with birth complications for women and newborn, includes development of type II diabetes, preeclampsia during pregnancy, increasing the risk of fetal loss, stillbirth and perinatal death. An integrative literature review applied, systematic search from different data base obtained from international and middle east countries to assess adherence level of guidelines. Clinical guidelines are set to ensure and assure homogeneity as well as the quality of provision of care. National and international consensus has yet to be achieved in the management of diabetes in pregnancy, adherence of recommended antenatal care content to a minimum level appears to be unmet. Complete provider adherence to first antenatal guidelines was 48.1%, Guideline dissemination alone does not change practice;assessment of barriers/enablers and implementation is important. Guidelines are useless when they are not used or adhered to. Each guideline needs an Appendix on how adherence has to be measured, there is a need for some uniformity across guidelines to measure adherence. Diabetes management is an essential constituent to prevent prognosis of diabetes complications.

Appraisal of Five Clinical Guidelines for the Management of Hypertension in Andean Countries and Europe

There is global concern on the methodological limitations, transferability and effectiveness of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for chronic non-communicable diseases, particularly for hypertension. Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru have regularly produced CPGs;however no formal assessment has been done on their contents, transferability and effectiveness. The past decade saw significant migration from Andean countries to Europe. Knowing how European CPGs compare with those produced in Andean countries is necessary to recommend future changes targeted to the migrant population. A systematic search of CPGs was done on indexed databases and non-indexed publications. Recognized and approved CPGs were identified by technical officers in the Ministries of Health of the respective countries. The guidelines of the European Society of hypertension and four selected CPGs from the Andean countries were assessed by two independent evaluators using the “Agree II instrument for assessing clinical practice guidelines, AGREE II Consortium, May 2009”. Comparison of the CPGs is based on the six domain scores provided by the Agree II instrument. The overall score of CPGs ranged from 1.85 to 2.94 of 6 maximum possible. The European CPG scored highest in 3 of 6 domains compared, most notably in rigor of development. Average domain scores for clarity of presentation (0.84) and scope and purpose (0.64) were highest scores for applicability (0.30). Stakeholder involvement (0.28) and rigor of development (0.17) were the lowest. The CPGs assessed appear to fail meeting the standards of quality and pertinence. They show a progressive worsening from domains declaring good intentions of being clear, to those which measure their hard aspects and implications.

SACI Protocol: Preliminary Guidelines for the Development of Digital Health Technologies for Clinical Trials in Brazil

In the last decade, evidence-based medical practice has been supported on a large scale by computerized decision support tools, aiming to reduce diagnostic and therapeutic uncertainty, complementing the actions of the health professional. With technological developments, it is now possible to consider these systems as part of clinical intervention, both for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. The literature has described the implementation of e-health tools, that is, technological innovations in the health area such as software, applications, serious games, among others, as a strategy to improve the process and adherence to treatment. However, there is still no standardized instrument in Brazil that can be used to guide the development, from the research phase, and the implementation of these tools as a health intervention, also impacting patient outcomes. With the objective of investigating a new therapeutic and preventive form, based on intervention with a computerized system, this work proposes the creation of guidelines for the registration and implementation of e-health tools as a clinical intervention. The proposal aims to be able to assist in the reporting standardization from the development stage to the application of the e-health tool helping in the treatment of diseases, registering all the experience lived in the research and applying it in different contexts of health.

An Exploration of Perceived Barriers to Evidence-Based Practice among Physiotherapy Students during Clinical Placement—A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: Teaching evidence-based practice (EBP) has become part of the standard curriculum for health care students and professionals. Teaching EBP skills should be emphasized in entry level physiotherapy education as physiotherapists are expected to practice in an evidence-based way. Identifying barriers to the application of EBP in clinical placement plays an important role in developing physiotherapy programs. The present study aimed to explore physiotherapy students’ perceived barriers toward the use of EBP during their clinical placements. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among third-year physiotherapy students at the Faculty of Health Sciences University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Participants were asked to complete a self-reported questionnaire that was developed by the researcher based on previously developed surveys. The analyses applied included descriptive statistics and calculation of frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations of the participating students’ scores. Results: Fifty final-year undergraduate students with a mean age of 23.7 (±4.3, range 23 - 27) years participated in the study. Majority of participants reported lack of formal training, poor ability to critically appraise research evidence, insufficient time, their clinical supervisors, or other therapists not using EBP when treating patients as barriers towards practicing EBP. Conclusions: Physiotherapy students face many challenges in terms of training, organizational, and personal barriers toward the use of EBP during clinical placement. Lack of formal training, lack of research skills, insufficient time and their clinical supervisors or other therapists not using EBP when treating patients, emerged as top barriers. This fact underlines the importance of teaching students EBP skills, which would enable them to use EBP when working with patients.

Maintaining Nursing Care Quality—Clinical Care Guidelines for Cystic Fibrosis: Outpatient and Inpatient

The Care Committee of the Mukoviszidose e.V., headed by Cornelia Meyer, has drawn up a completely revised version of the German Guidelines to Care in Cystic Fibrosis. It addresses all nursing staff concerning children, adolescents or adults with cystic fibrosis (CF) either in an inpatient and outpatient setting or in rehab clinics. The guidelines evolve along with the increased life expectancy of cystic fibrosis patients and improved quality of life which is described by CF patients and can be observed by the therapeutic CF team. For example, the treatment of secondary diseases like CFDR (CF related diabetes) which comes along with an increased life expectancy has been added over the years. It is essential that within such a complex disease pattern, professional experience of care staff who worked in specialized CF care centers (50+ patients per year) for many years has to be transferred to other nursing stuff or beginners. This is especially important in the context of the heterogeneous characteristics of this disease. Often it can be seen that the quality of the care for CF patients depends on the know-how and professional experience of the interdisciplinary CF therapists team. Moreover, it depends on the knowledge which the patient has gathered by himself by experience or learning. And, of course, it depends also on the knowledge of the relatives especially parents or partner respectively.

Organic Integration of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicines—Future of Clinical Practice Guidelines of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicines

The transformation and implementation of clinical practice guidelines for integrated traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)and Western medicine(WM)is crucial to the adoption of medical science and technological findings and is an important way for TCM to be made available to the world.First,clinical practice guidelines(CPGs)of TCM and WM integration in recent years was analyzed to clarify the current situation and problems in the existing guidelines according to the following four perspectives:(1)perspective of TCM and WM integration in guidelines,(2)diagnosis Using integrated TCM and WM,(3)integration of TCM and WM treatment,(4)promoting TCM and WM integration.Secondly,the information and quality evaluation of CPGs for integrated Chinese and Western medicine in 2020–2022 were analyzed to explore the degree and methods of integration of Chinese and Western medicine guidelines.And last this study aimed to lay a foundation for the further establishment of Chinese characteristic,repeatable,and calculable clinical practice guidelines of TCM and WM integration.

Application of evidence-based medicine methods in integrative oncology research

To present the advances of evidence-based medicine and clinical research methodology in integrative oncology,we conducted a literature review of real-world studies of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)in cancer care and summarized the available evidence.Pragmatic randomized controlled trials(pRCTs)and clinical registry studies are becoming more popular as they could compensate for the limitations of RCTs.Many RCTs of TCM for cancer treatment as well as systematic reviews have been published.The most investigated therapies are based on acupuncture,Chinese herbal compounds,and Chinese patent medicines.Acupuncture has a significant advantage in relieving cancer-related symptoms.Published studies focus more on improving clinical symptoms and laboratory indicators.However,the patient's quality of life deserves more attention.