Consensus procedures and their role in pediatric rheumatology

Area of Science:

• Medical Research Methodology
• Pediatric Rheumatology

Background:

• The Delphi Technique and Nominal Group Technique are established methods for achieving expert consensus.
• These techniques are vital for synthesizing expert opinions in research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the Delphi Technique and Nominal Group Technique.
• To discuss their application in pediatric rheumatology for developing clinical outcome measures and classification criteria.

Main Methods:

• The Delphi Technique involves iterative, anonymous questionnaire surveys.
• The Nominal Group Technique uses structured face-to-face meetings for consensus building.

Main Results:

• Both techniques facilitate group judgment and consensus formation.
• They have been extensively applied in pediatric rheumatology.

Conclusions:

• The Delphi Technique and Nominal Group Technique are effective tools for advancing pediatric rheumatology research.
• Their application aids in defining outcome measures for juvenile idiopathic arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and other rheumatic conditions.