Progress Report of Systematic Review Working Group in the Preparation of JSMM Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Rare Fungal Infections

Abstract

　There is limited evidence available for the diagnosis and management of rare fungal infections including mucormycosis, fusariosis, trichosporonosis, and scedosporiosis. To prepare the JSMM guidelines for the diagnosis and management of rare fungal infections, JSMM organized a Systematic Review Working Group (WG) consisting of eight members (the launching meeting was held on July 20, 2021). WG members came up with ideas on clinical questions (CQs) for systematic review. From among those ideas, a total of six CQs were selected. They include two CQs regarding mucormycosis (optimal duration of treatment, usefulness of combination antifungal therapy), and one each regarding fusariosis (monotherapy or combination therapy as initial therapy), trichosporonosis (azole or polyene antifungal agent as initial therapy), scedosporonosis (optimal initial therapy), and endogenous endophthalmitis due to mold infection (optimal initial therapy). Using a search formula, the WG conducted systematic literature review for each CQ. The progress of the systematic review was reported by the WG in the 66th Annual Meeting of JSMM held in October 2022. In March 2023, a preliminary draft on the recommendations for CQs based on the results of the systematic review was proposed and is now being discussed in the WG. This article provides a report on the progress of the Systematic Review WG activities, from the setting of CQs to the systematic review.