Reporting Items for Updated Clinical Guidelines: Checklist for the Reporting of Updated Guidelines (CheckUp)

Abstract

BackgroundScientific knowledge is in constant development. Consequently, regular review to assure the trustworthiness of clinical guidelines is required. However, there is still a lack of preferred reporting items of the updating process in updated clinical guidelines. The present article describes the development process of the Checklist for the Reporting of Updated Guidelines (CheckUp).Methods and FindingsWe developed an initial list of items based on an overview of research evidence on clinical guideline updating, the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II Instrument, and the advice of the CheckUp panel (n = 33 professionals). A multistep process was used to refine this list, including an assessment of ten existing updated clinical guidelines, interviews with key informants (response rate: 54.2%; 13/24), a three-round Delphi consensus survey with the CheckUp panel (33 participants), and an external review with clinical guideline methodologists (response rate: 90%; 53/59) and users (response rate: 55.6%; 10/18). CheckUp includes 16 items that address (1) the presentation of an updated guideline, (2) editorial independence, and (3) the methodology of the updating process. In this article, we present the methodology to develop CheckUp and include as a supplementary file an explanation and elaboration document.ConclusionsCheckUp can be used to evaluate the completeness of reporting in updated guidelines and as a tool to inform guideline developers about reporting requirements. Editors may request its completion from guideline authors when submitting updated guidelines for publication. Adherence to CheckUp will likely enhance the comprehensiveness and transparency of clinical guideline updating for the benefit of patients and the public, health care professionals, and other relevant stakeholders.

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“…As this guideline concerns an update, as recommended by the EQUATOR-network, the CheckUp list was used for this guideline to help emphasise new information and changes implemented in this updated CPG 16. Additionally, theAppraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation (AGREE) II criteria were followed in order to ensure complete reporting of methods and results and improve transparency and quality.…”

Canadian Stroke Best Practice Recommendations: Telestroke Best Practice Guidelines Update 2017

“…2,3 An interprofessional group of experts was convened to review, draft, and update all International Journal of Stroke, 12 (8) recommendation statements. Members with extensive experience in telestroke were selected as were those who are considered leaders and experts in their field, having been involved in research on the topics addressed in this module.…”

When is a guideline not a guideline? The devil is in the details

“…Using The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach, this multidisciplinary team evaluates emerging evidence and conducts systematic reviews in order to produce trustworthy practice recommendations. Additionally, a number of checklists have been developed that can be used to assist guideline developers, clinicians and journal editors (eg, the Reporting Items for Practice Guidelines in Healthcare,13 the Checklist for the Reporting of Updated Guidelines,14 the Guideline Trustworthiness, Relevance, and Utility Scoring Tool 1516 noting that ‘biased guidelines can cause grave harms to patients’,17 developed a brief tool to help assess the reliability of guideline recommendations.…”