Table 3

Ratingsa according to the AGREE instrument of osteoarthritis treatment guidelines published within the past 5 years


Rating of guidelines [reference]
AGREE instrument used for rating


Canadian Consensus
 North of
 ADMMC OA


Domain
 Item
 Conference[11]
 England [12,13]
 [14,15,16]
 ICSI [17,18]
 EULAR [6]
 ACR [4,5]
Scope and purpose

1. Overall objective(s)
 +
 +
 +
 +
 +
 +

2. Clinical question(s)
 +
 +
 +
 +
 +
 -b

3. Target patient population
 +
 +
 +
 +
 +
 +
Stakeholder involvement

4. Development group representative
 +b
 +
 +
 +
 -
 -

5. Patient views and preferences
 +
 -
 -b
 -
 -
 +
Rigour of development

6. Systematic evidence search
 -
 +
 -b
 -
 +
 -

7. Selection of evidence explicit
 -
 +
 -
 -
 +
 -

8. Formulation of recommendations explicit
 -
 +
 +
 -
 +
 -

9. Benefits, side effects, and risks described
 +
 +
 +
 +b
 +
 +

10. Explicit link between evidence and recommendations
 +b
 +
 +
 +
 +
 +

11. External review
 +
 +
 +
 -b
 -
 -

12. Procedure for updating guideline
 +
 +
 -
 +
 +
 +
Clarity and presentation

13. Specific and unambiguous recommendations
 +
 +
 +
 +
 +
 +b

14. Different treatment options
 +
 +
 +
 +
 +
 +

15. Key recommendations easily identified
 -b
 +
 +
 +b
 +
 +b
Applicability

16. End users of guideline stated
 +
 +
 +
 +
 -b
 -

17. Barriers to implementation are discussed
 -
 -
 -b
 +
 -
 -

18. Cost implications are discussed
 -
 +
 -
 -
 -
 +

19. Tools for application
 -
 -
 -b
 +
 -
 -

20. Review/monitoring criteria defined
 -
 -
 -
 +
 -
 -

21. Pilot testing
 -
 -
 +
 +
 -
 +
Editorial independence

22. Editorial independent from funding body
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -

23. Conflicts of interest are stated
 -
 +
 -
 -
 -
 +

aRatings on a 4-point scale (4 = strongly agree, 1 = strongly disagree) have been dichotomized for purposes of clarity (see text): + indicates that the guideline has met the criterion; – indicates that it has not. bOne of the raters disagreed (see text). ADMMC = Algorithms for the Diagnosis and Management of Musculoskeletal Complaints; 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