The method of systematic review for clinical guidelines

Abstract

 The content of a clinical guideline recommends to be based on the evidence like systematic reviews which are located the highest level. A systematic review is conducted with an explicit methodology including an exhaustive search. The eligible studies are filtered from searched references by a well-designed search strategy. The conclusion is comprehensively drawn with the data from eligible studies with meta-analysis if possible. The recommendation to clinical questions (CQs) is provided on guidelines after assessment of the validity of evidences. In revising the Japanese Pediatric Guidelines for the Treatment and Management of Asthma (JPGL), the JPGL committee proposed eight CQs. The SR team, including 24 pediatricians, conducted systematic reviews with including randomized controlled trials relevant to CQs and evaluated the risk of bias. Recommendations to the CQs were finally fixed by the JPGL committee and the SR team with considering clinical situation in Japan.