Evaluation of Guidelines and Consensus on Ectopic Pregnancy Based by AGREE II Method
Yiran Fu1, Weishe Zhang1,2, Qi Wang1
1Department of Obstetrics, Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Changsha, People's Republic of China.
International Journal of Women'S Health
|September 5, 2023
Summary
This study assessed ectopic pregnancy guidelines using the AGREE II tool, finding significant weaknesses in editorial independence and overall quality. Improvements are needed in independence, rigor, participants, and application for better clinical practice guidelines.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Clinical Practice Guidelines
- Evidence-Based Medicine
Background:
- Ectopic pregnancy diagnosis and treatment require high-quality clinical guidelines.
- Existing guidelines may vary in methodological rigor and scope.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the methodological quality of existing ectopic pregnancy diagnosis and treatment guidelines.
- To identify areas for improvement in guideline development and content.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) instrument.
- Appraised nine clinical practice guidelines for ectopic pregnancy from five countries.
Main Results:
- Guidelines scored highest in clarity of presentation (82.72%) and lowest in editorial independence (30.56%).
- Seven guidelines received a Grade B recommendation, while two received a Grade C.
- Significant variability noted across different domains of the AGREE II assessment.
Conclusions:
- The overall quality of ectopic pregnancy guidelines requires enhancement.
- Specific focus is recommended on improving guideline "independence", "rigor", "participants", and "application" domains.
