Assessment of diagnosis and treatment guidelines for allergic rhinitis

This study aims to evaluate the quality of clinical practice guidelines for diagnosing and treating allergic rhinitis and analyse the heterogeneity of recommendations and supporting evidence among these guidelines.

A systematic search was conducted to identify clinical guidelines related to allergic rhinitis. Evaluators use the AGREE II instrument to assess the quality of the included guidelines. The Consistency Measurement Scale (MSRA) was applied to evaluate the scientific consistency of diagnostic and treatment recommendations, and the evidence supporting these recommendations was extracted and analysed.

Twelve guidelines for diagnosing and treating allergic rhinitis were ultimately included. After further review and analysis, 7 clinical guidelines with an overall score of more than 60% were recommended. Heterogeneity was observed in the recommendations and supporting evidence across different guidelines. Contributing factors included contradictions between recommendations on traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, and moxibustion treatment, the regional specificity of these treatments, and the inappropriate citation of surgical treatment evidence.

This study revealed significant differences in the levels of evidence in the same field across different guidelines. Even within individual guidelines, inconsistencies in recommendations across different areas were identified. Further analysis to determine the underlying causes and efforts to rectify existing issues may help improve the quality of clinical guidelines for diagnosing and treating allergic rhinitis.