Table 1

Attributes of osteoarthritis treatment guidelines published within the past 5 years



Year




literature


Guideline
Year
search


[Reference no.]
published
completed
Guideline development attributes
End users

Canadian Consensus
2000
Not stated
Rheumatologists; general and family practitioners
Primary-care physicians,
Conference [11]


Grading of evidence
rheumatologists



Formal consensus methods for recommendations




External review

North of England [12,13]
1998
Not stated
Multidisciplinary committee
Primary-care physicians


(Does state that
Meta-analyses of evidence



recommendations
Grading of evidence



cease to apply
Informal consensus for recommendations



December 1999)
Recommendation strength grading




External review

Algorithms for the
1997
Not stated
Multidisciplinary committee
Primary-care physicians
Diagnosis and Management


Grading of evidence

of Musculoskeletal


Formal and informal consensus methods for

Complaints (ADMMC)


recommendations

[14,15,16,33]


Formal approval process by stakeholders

ICSI[17,18]
1999 (2000)
Not stated
Multidisciplinary committee
Physicians, nurses, allied



Grading of evidence
health professionals,



Assume informal consensus for recommendations
health policy makers



External review
health care researchers
EULAR [6]
2000
December 1998
Rheumatologists, orthopaedic surgeons, and
Not stated



     guideline methodologists




Meta-analyses of evidence




Grading of evidence




Delphi consensus method




Recommendation strength grading




Internal review

ACR[4,5]
2000
Not stated
Rheumatologists
Not stated



Informal grading of evidence




Informal consensus for recommendations




External review


ACR = American College of Rheumatology; EULAR = European League Against Rheumatism; ICSI = Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement.

Pencharz et al. Arthritis Res 2002 4:36   doi:10.1186/ar381