An updated overview of clinical guidelines for the management of non-specific low back pain in primary care

The aim of this study was to present and compare the content of (inter)national clinical guidelines for the management of low back pain. To rationalise the management of low back pain, evidence-based clinical guidelines have been issued in many countries. Given that the available scientific evidence is the same, irrespective of the country, one would expect these guidelines to include more or less similar recommendations regarding diagnosis and treatment. We updated a previous review that included clinical guidelines published up to and including the year 2000. Guidelines were included that met the following criteria: the target group consisted mainly of primary health care professionals, and the guideline was published in English, German, Finnish, Spanish, Norwegian, or Dutch. Only one guideline per country was included: the one most recently published. This updated review includes national clinical guidelines from 13 countries and 2 international clinical guidelines from Europe published from 2000 until 2008. The content of the guidelines appeared to be quite similar regarding the diagnostic classification (diagnostic triage) and the use of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. Consistent features for acute low back pain were the early and gradual activation of patients, the discouragement of prescribed bed rest and the recognition of psychosocial factors as risk factors for chronicity. For chronic low back pain, consistent features included supervised exercises, cognitive behavioural therapy and multidisciplinary treatment. However, there are some discrepancies for recommendations regarding spinal manipulation and drug treatment for acute and chronic low back pain. The comparison of international clinical guidelines for the management of low back pain showed that diagnostic and therapeutic recommendations are generally similar. There are also some differences which may be due to a lack of strong evidence regarding these topics or due to differences in local health care systems. The implementation of these clinical guidelines remains a challenge for clinical practice and research.     

Minimally Invasive Management of Pancreatic Abscess, Pseudocyst, and Necrosis: A Systematic Review of Current Guidelines

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive techniques have been used to manage infected pancreatic necrosis and its local complications, although there are no randomised trials to evaluate these techniques. The aims of this study were to review the scope and quality of recommendations in current clinical practice guidelines on the role of percutaneous catheter drainage and endoscopic techniques for pancreatic abscess, pseudocyst, and infected pancreatic necrosis and identify the degree of consensus between guidelines. METHODS: A MEDLINE search was performed to identify current guidelines from any professional body published in the English language. Guidelines were analysed to determine their specific recommendations for using percutaneous catheter drainage and endoscopic techniques to manage pancreatic abscess, infected pseudocyst, and infected pancreatic necrosis. RESULTS: Sixteen guidelines were reviewed. Percutaneous catheter drainage for pancreatic abscess was recommended by eight guidelines; for infected pseudocysts, one guideline did not recommend its use and six recommended its use; for infected necrosis, two guidelines did not recommend its use and four recommended its use. Endoscopic management of both pancreatic abscess and infected pseudocyst was recommended by seven guidelines; for infected necrosis, endoscopic management was recommended by ten guidelines. Ten guidelines did not include levels of evidence to support their recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: Guidelines lacked consensus in their recommendations for minimally invasive management of pancreatic abscess, infected pseudocyst, and infected necrosis, and few recommendations were graded according to the strength of the evidence. More prospective trials are needed to provide evidence where it is lacking, which should be incorporated into clinical practice guidelines.     

Management of haematoma after thyroid surgery: systematic review and multidisciplinary consensus guidelines from the Difficult Airway Society,the British Association of Endocrine and Thyroid Surgeons and the British Association of Otorhinolaryngology,Head and Neck Surgery

Haematoma after thyroid surgery can lead to airway obstruction and death. We therefore developed guidelines to improve the safety of peri-operative care of patients undergoing thyroid surgery. We conducted a systematic review to inform recommendations, with expert consensus used in the absence of high-quality evidence, and a Delphi study was used to ratify recommendations. We highlight the importance of multidisciplinary team management and make recommendations in key areas including: monitoring; recognition; post-thyroid surgery emergency box; management of suspected haematoma following thyroid surgery; cognitive aids; post-haematoma evacuation care; day-case thyroid surgery; training; consent and pre-operative communication; postoperative communication; and institutional policies. The guidelines support a multidisciplinary approach to the management of suspected haematoma following thyroid surgery through oxygenation and evaluation; haematoma evacuation; and tracheal intubation. They have been produced with materials to support implementation. While these guidelines are specific to thyroid surgery, the principles may apply to other forms of neck surgery. These guidelines and recommendations provided are the first in this area and it is hoped they will support multidisciplinary team working, improving care and outcomes for patients having thyroid surgery.     

Difficult Airway Society guidelines for awake tracheal intubation (ATI) in adults

Awake tracheal intubation has a high success rate and a favourable safety profile but is underused in cases of anticipated difficult airway management. These guidelines are a comprehensive document to support decision making, preparation and practical performance of awake tracheal intubation. We performed a systematic review of the literature seeking all of the available evidence for each element of awake tracheal intubation in order to make recommendations. In the absence of high-quality evidence, expert consensus and a Delphi study were used to formulate recommendations. We highlight key areas of awake tracheal intubation in which specific recommendations were made, which included: indications; procedural setup; checklists; oxygenation; airway topicalisation; sedation; verification of tracheal tube position; complications; management of unsuccessful awake tracheal intubation; post-tracheal intubation management; consent; and training. We recognise that there are a range of techniques and regimens that may be effective and one such example technique is included. Breaking down the key practical elements of awake tracheal intubation into sedation, topicalisation, oxygenation and performance might help practitioners to plan, perform and address complications. These guidelines aim to support clinical practice and help lower the threshold for performing awake tracheal intubation when indicated.     

乳腺癌相关淋巴水肿评估与管理指南的质量评价与内容分析

目的 对乳腺癌相关淋巴水肿评估与管理的相关指南进行质量评价和内容分析,为我国本土化乳腺癌相关淋巴水肿评估与管理指南的制定提供参考.方法 计算机检索国内外指南网站、相关专业协会网站及中英文数据库,搜集乳腺癌相关淋巴水肿评估与管理相关指南.采用AGREE Ⅱ评价纳入指南的质量,并对各指南推荐意见进行汇总分析.结果 最终纳入...     

The significance of clinical practice guidelines on adult varicocele detection and management

Varicoceles are the most common correctable etiology of male factor infertility. However, the detection and management of varicoceles have not been standardized. This has led to decades of debate regarding the effect of varicocele on male infertility and subsequently whether repair leads to an improved fertility status. The current body of evidence investigating the role of varicocele and varicocelectomy is weak and conflicting. The stance taken by the AUA and ASRM suggests that there is insufficient outcomes data to support evidenced-based guidelines, citing evidence used to provide current recommendations are generally of a low quality level. On the other hand, the EAU Guidelines give a level 1a of evidence for management of varicoceles that are clinically palpable, associated with subnormal semen analyses and having otherwise unexplained fertility. Besides aiding with clinical varicocele detection and management, clinical practice opinion statements and guidelines aim to direct and strengthen the infrastructure of future studies. We review the current status of opinion statements and guidelines in varicocele and management detection with focus on their application in practice.     

肌肉骨骼慢性疼痛诊治专家共识

肌肉骨骼系统慢性疼痛是临床最常见的慢性疼痛.随着人口老龄化,慢性肌肉骨骼疼痛的总体负担将继续加重,对安全有效的疼痛管理的需求也将日益增加.由于文化、经济和监管因素不同,国际指南可能不完全适合中国病人.可用的国内指南大多只针对于药物治疗,且没有阐述中医药在肌肉骨骼系统慢性疼痛诊治中的重要作用.为了制定慢性肌肉骨骼疼痛的中...     

Guideline of guidelines: follow-up after orchidectomy for clinical stage 1 testicular cancer

Several medical organisations have developed evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis, management, and follow-up of testicular cancer. This article aimed to review, compare, and summarise the most updated international guidelines and surveillance protocols for clinical stage 1 (CS1) testicular cancer. We reviewed a total of 46 articles on proposed follow-up strategies for testicular cancer, and six clinical practice guidelines including four guidelines published by urological scientific associations and two guidelines published by medical oncology associations. Most of these guidelines have been developed by panels of experts with different backgrounds in clinical training, and geographic practise patterns, which explains the considerable variability between published schedules, and recommended follow-up intensity. We present you with a comprehensive review of the most important clinical practice guidelines and propose unifying recommendations based on the most up to date evidence to help standardise follow-up schedules based on patterns and risk of disease relapse.     

Purpose, use, and preparation of clinical practice guidelines for the management of biliary tract and ampullary carcinomas

Apart from periampullary carcinoma, the prognosis of biliary tract carcinomas, including hilar cholangiocarcinoma, extrahepatic biliary tract carcinoma, and gallbladder carcinoma, remains poor. Sophisticated diagnostic skills and treatment methods and their application are naturally required to achieve better treatment results for biliary tract carcinomas. However, it is not too much to say that, due to the paucity of high-level evidence for the management of these carcinomas, medical care by healthcare providers in clinics and at medical institutes throughout the world is currently delivered without common consensus and common standards. The clinical practice guidelines for the management of biliary carcinoma outlined here were produced with the aim that they could be used by physicians involved in the care of biliary tract carcinomas, as indicators that could help them provide their patients with the most appropriate care possible at this time. Also, the guidelines were prepared to provide measures that could assure patients with biliary tract carcinomas of safe medical care. The present guidelines are characterized by their clarification of clinical questions assumed to be often shared by healthcare professionals. For clarity, we divided the contents of the guidelines into eight areas. In each area, clinical questions are presented, together with recommendations of clinical actions in response to the question. As mentioned already, there is a paucity of high-level evidence in this area; therefore, the recommendations are classified into grades, of which there are five: A, strongly recommend performing the clinical action; B, recommend performing the clinical action; C1, the clinical action may be useful, although there is a lack of high-level scientific evidence; C2, clinical action not definitively recommended ecause of insufficient scientific evidence; D, recommend not performing the clinical action. The grading of the recommendations is based on the determination of the level of evidence in references on which the recommendation is based.     

AHNS Series: Do you know your guidelines? Guideline recommendations for head and neck cancer of unknown primary site

This article reviews the clinical practice guidelines for head and neck oncology focusing on the management of head and neck cancers of unknown primary (CUP). The primary purpose of this series is to raise awareness of the current guidelines in head and neck oncology by reviewing the recommendations and the evidence supporting such recommendations, particularly those published by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). We review the importance of a thorough history and physical examination, the impact of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) eighth edition changes and the importance of immunohistochemistry, the timing and type of imaging, the role of panendoscopy and tonsillectomy (palatine and lingual), and the role of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy in the primary management of these tumors.     

Project for Universal Management of Airways – part 1: concept and methods

Multiple professional groups and societies worldwide have produced airway management guidelines. These are typically targeted at the process of tracheal intubation by a particular provider group in a restricted category of patients and reflect practice preferences in a particular geographical region. The existence of multiple distinct guidelines for some (but not other) closely related circumstances, increases complexity and may obscure the underlying principles that are common to all of them. This has the potential to increase cognitive load; promote the grouping of ideas in silos; impair teamwork; and ultimately compromise patient care. Development of a single set of airway management guidelines that can be applied across and beyond these domains may improve implementation; promote standardisation; and facilitate collaboration between airway practitioners from diverse backgrounds. A global multidisciplinary group of both airway operators and assistants was assembled. Over a 3-year period, a review of the existing airway guidelines and multiple reviews of the primary literature were combined with a structured process for determining expert consensus. Any discrepancies between these were analysed and reconciled. Where evidence in the literature was lacking, recommendations were made by expert consensus. Using the above process, a set of evidence-based airway management guidelines was developed in consultation with airway practitioners from a broad spectrum of disciplines and geographical locations. While consistent with the recommendations of the existing English language guidelines, these universal guidelines also incorporate the most recent concepts in airway management as well as statements on areas not widely addressed by the existing guidelines. The recommendations will be published in four parts that respectively address: airway evaluation; airway strategy; airway rescue and communication of airway outcomes. Together, these universal guidelines will provide a single, comprehensive approach to airway management that can be consistently applied by airway practitioners globally, independent of their clinical background or the circumstances in which airway management occurs.     

La tromboprofilaxis quirúrgica en el día a día de la cirugía urológica: más allá de la terapia puente

IntroductionWith the advanced laparoscopic and robotic surgery, thromboembolic prophylaxis in urologic procedures has traditionally been based on the experience of other surgical specialties. This paper aims to analyze the current recommendations, through a detailed study of the European clinical guidelines and bibliography, applying the recommendations of thromboprophylaxis to the daily urological practice.ObjectivesTo elaborate general recommendations to surgical patients in Urology, avoiding the risk of perioperative thromboembolic events. Optimize medication in chronic patients and accurately classify who are eligible for bridge therapy.Material and methodsA review of the available literature and the European clinical guidelines was carried out. We analyzed the most recent consensus articles by studying the available bibliography, trials and reviews on which the European guidelines for thromboprophylaxis in urology are based.ResultsThromboembolic prophylaxis should be targeted towards surgeries that require abdominal approaches, prolonged bed rest or oncological pathologies. Bridge therapies with low molecular weight heparins should be limited. Patients undergoing treatment for chronic conditions can benefit from bridge therapies in specific cases.ConclusionsAccording to the current guidelines, there might be an overuse of heparins in the daily clinical practice. The development of -direct oral- anticoagulants have shown to reduce the time to reintroduction of medication for chronic conditions as well as a more effective bleeding management.     

Asthma exacerbations. 5: assessment and management of severe asthma in adults in hospital

It is difficult to understand why there is such a huge discrepancy between the management of severe asthma recommended by evidence-based guidelines and that observed in clinical practice. The recommendations are relatively straightforward and have been widely promoted both in guidelines and reviews. Specialist physicians need to be more proactive in their implementation of such guidelines through the use of locally derived protocols and assessment sheets, reinforced by audit. The common occurrence of severe asthma and its considerable burden to the community would support such an approach.     

《SVS/AVF/AVLS下肢静脉曲张管理临床实践指南2023年版》更新要点解读

美国血管外科学会、美国静脉论坛和美国静脉与淋巴学会最近发布了2023年版下肢静脉曲张临床实践指南,并就影响下肢静脉曲张（CEAP 2类疾病）患者管理的关键问题提供了新的循证建议。指南的主要内容包括对下肢静脉曲张患者的临床评估、加压治疗、药物和营养补充剂、浅静脉主干反流腔内消融术与高位结扎-剥脱术、属支静脉曲张和穿静脉功能不全的评估和治疗、血栓并发症的管理以及静脉曲张出血和浅静脉瘤的管理及其治疗提出了循证建议。本文总结新版指南更新要点,并结合最新循证医学进展进行解读,旨在为国内同行的临床实践提供参考。     

欧洲血管外科学会2024版《腹主动脉-髂动脉动脉瘤管理临床实践指南》解读

欧洲血管外科学会发布了2024版《腹主动脉-髂动脉动脉瘤管理临床实践指南》,对腹主动脉瘤和髂动脉病变的诊疗策略进行了全面而详细的介绍。该指南基于截至2023年8月的最佳证据,依据修改后的欧洲心脏病学学会评分系统制定了160条建议,较2019年版本新增59项全新建议。新版指南针对质量控制、流行病学与诊断筛查、小型腹主动脉瘤管理、腹主动脉瘤择期修复、破裂及症状性腹主动脉瘤管理、复杂腹主动脉瘤管理等方面的重要内容进行了证据总结与分级推荐。该指南对于指导国内血管外科腹主动脉-髂动脉瘤临床工作具有重大借鉴意义,但同时也需注意结合本土患者的实际情况开展个体化诊疗。本文对指南中相关部分进行了解读,供学者们参考讨论。     

A clinician's guide to the management of geriatric musculoskeletal disease: Part 1 - Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a condition of growing concern in all areas of healthcare, with osteopathic practice no exception. Allied health clinicians and other manual/physical practitioners are well placed to play a role in prevention, early detection and intervention in these patients, as well as in ongoing fall and fracture prevention. This masterclass aims to provide a clinical guide to the management of osteoporosis, with a focus on the role of the allied health clinician in its diagnosis and ongoing treatment. Specifically, it will cover key clinical risk factors, referral guidelines and recommendations for management, to allow for confident, evidence-informed management of these patients in practice. We propose that empowering clinicians with the clinical knowledge to provide support in the management of chronic musculoskeletal diseases such as osteoporosis will advance patient care and outcomes both now and into the future.     

《欧洲血管外科学会（ESVS）2021年静脉血栓管理临床实践指南》临床热点解读

欧洲血管外科学会（ESVS）于2021年在《European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery》发表了该协会首个静脉血栓诊疗领域的指南：《欧洲血管外科学会（ESVS）2021年静脉血栓管理临床实践指南》,该指南包括了下肢深静脉血栓形成（DVT）、上肢DVT、浅静脉血栓形成（SVT）以及特殊部位血栓形成等方面,共给予了72条推荐意见;同时,除了关于治疗方法的推荐,还包括了健康经济学以及特殊患者人群的相关问题。该指南中的建议是通过对目前可以得到的研究证据进行分析及评估制定的,会对临床实践有较大的借鉴意义,但是,随着技术、证据以及知识的发展,指南可能需要不断更新。笔者团队根据指南更新的循证医学证据,结合临床中的热点问题,对指南给出的推荐意见做重点解读,以期更好地理解指南原则及实用建议。