https://doi.org/10.4081/reumatismo.2019.1188
The Italian Society for Rheumatology clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of knee, hip and hand osteoarthritis
Accepted: 14 May 2019
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Authors
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common musculoskeletal disease leading to functional decline and loss in quality of life. Knees, hands and hips are frequently affected joints with a relevant clinical and socio-economic burden. An evidence-based approach to OA management is essential in order to improve patients’ health and to decrease social burdens. Since new international clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) focused on diagnosis or pharmacological/non-pharmacological treatment have become available in the last ten years, the Italian Society for Rheumatology (SIR) was prompted to revise and customize them for a multidisciplinary audience of specialists involved in the management of OA. The framework of the Guidelines International Network Adaptation Working Group was adopted to identify, appraise (AGREE II), synthesize, and customize the existing CPGs on OA to the needs of the Italian healthcare context. The task force, consisting of rheumatologists from the SIR epidemiology research unit and a committee with experience of OA, identified key health questions to guide a systematic review of published guidelines. The target audience included physicians and health professionals who manage OA. An external panel of stakeholders rated the guidelines. From a systematic search in databases (Pubmed/Medline, Embase) and grey literature, 11 CPGs were selected and appraised by two independent raters. Combining evidence and statements from these CPGs and clinical expertise, 16 guidelines were developed and graded according to the level of evidence. Agreement and potential impact on clinical practice were assessed. These revised guidelines are intended to provide guidance for diagnosis and treatment of OA and to disseminate best evidence-based strategies management of the disease.
How to Cite
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.