Table 1 Critical appraisal tools for clinical practice guideline evaluation

Brouwers et al. [5], 2010, Canada/ Europe

Journal of Clinical Epidemiology

AGREE II: Advancing guideline development, reporting and evaluation in health care

To assess the process of guideline development

23

6 (scope and purpose; stakeholder involvement; rigor of development; clarity of presentation; applicability; editorial independence)

Cluzeau et al. [6], 1999, UK

International Journal for Quality in Health Care

Development and application of a generic methodology to assess the quality of clinical guidelines

To assess the quality of clinical guidelines

37

3 (rigor of development; clarity of presentation; implementation issues)

Grilli et al. [7], 2000, Italy

The Lancet

Practice guidelines developed by specialty societies: the need for a critical appraisal

To review the quality of guidelines

3

None specified

Hayward et al. [8], 1993, Canada/USA

Annals of Internal Medicine

More informative abstracts of articles describing clinical practice guidelines

To assess the applicability, importance, and validity of guidelines

9

None specified

Helou et al. [9], 1998, Germany

Zeitschrift für Ärztliche Fortbildung und Qualitätssicherung

Methodological quality of clinical practice guidelines in Germany: results of a systemic assessment of guidelines presented on the Internet

To assess the methodological quality of clinical practice guidelines

41

3 (rigor of development; content and format; applicability)

Institute of Medicine [10], 1992, USA

-

Guidelines for clinical practice: from development to use

To examine the soundness of guidelines and to encourage their systematic development

46

7 (validity; clarity; multidisciplinary process; clinical flexibility; reliability and reproducibility; clinical adaptability; scheduled review)

Liddl et al. [11], 1996, Australia

-

Method for evaluating research guideline evidence

To assess the validity of existing guidelines or to summarize the validity of guidelines during their development

14

3 (descriptive information about the guideline; evaluation criteria for the guideline; overall assessment of the guideline)

Marshall [12], 2000, Canada

The Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology

A critical approach to clinical practice guidelines

To evaluate the quality, relevance and effectiveness of clinical practice guidelines

9

None specified

Mendelson [13], 1995, USA

Radiologic Clinics of North America

The development and meaning of appropriateness guidelines

To establish appropriateness criteria for guidelines

8

None specified

Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network [14], 2008, Scotland

-

SIGN 50: A guideline developer’s handbook

To assess the process of guideline development

23

6 (see Brouwers et al.)

Selker [15], 1993, USA

The American Journal of Cardiology

Criteria for adoption in practice of medical practice guidelines

To establish criteria for adoption of practice guidelines for clinical practice

8

None specified

Shaneyfelt et al. [16], 1999, USA

Journal of the American Medical Association

Are guidelines following guidelines? The methodological quality of clinical practice guidelines in the peer-reviewed medical literature

To review the methodological quality of clinical practice guidelines in the peer-reviewed medical literature

25

3 (guideline development and format; evidence identification and summary; formulation of recommendations)

Shiffman et al. [17], 2003, USA

Annals of Internal Medicine

Standardized reporting of clinical practice guidelines: a proposal from the Conference on Guideline Standardization

To establish a standard for guideline reporting

18

None specified

Ward, Grieco [18], 1996, Australia

Medical Journal of Australia

Why we need guidelines for guidelines: a study of the quality of clinical practice guidelines in Australia

To assess the quality of clinical practice guidelines in Australia

18

8 (validity; reproducibility; applicability; clinical flexibility; clarity; multidisciplinary process; documentation; scheduled review)