[An evidence-based update of the ADHD care pathway in Belgium: a systematic literature review]

The ADHD care path (www.ADHD-traject.be) is a web tool that provides evidence-based advice for the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD according to the standards for certified care instruments. An update of the 2016 instrument was imminent.

This study aims to test the content of the care path against (inter)national quality guidelines and to update them to meet the current transparency requirements.

Part A consisted of a systematic literature search performed (PRISMA ) to identify (clinical) guidelines for ADHD and to assess their quality with the AGREE II instrument. Part B consisted of two phases: a full clinical content update based on the results from Part A, followed by a peer review..

Of the 29 guidelines identified, 12 met the pre-established inclusion criteria, of which 2 were excluded from part B of the study after quality assessment. Numbered endnotes made a direct link between the international guidelines and the advice in the care path, clinical content changes were made, then a consensus version was reached through peer review.

This is the first scientific contribution reporting on the update of a care instrument based on both a systematic literature review and a peer review with transparency on the clinical content changes. Based on this, the care path was certified according to the Belgian CEBAM standards.