Methodology for adaptation of the ASH Guidelines for Management of Venous Thromboembolism for the Latin American context.

BACKGROUND: From 2017 to 2020, the American Society of Hematology (ASH) collaborated with 12 hematology societies in Latin America to adapt the ASH guidelines on venous thromboembolism (VTE). OBJECTIVE: To describe the methods used to adapt the ASH guidelines on venous thromboembolism. METHODS: Each society nominated 1 individual to serve on the guideline panel. The work of the panel was facilitated by the 2 methodologists. The methods team selected 4 of the original VTE guidelines for a first round. To select the most relevant questions, a 2-step prioritization process was conducted through an on-line survey and then through in-person discussion. During an in-person meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 23 April through 26 April 2018, the panel developed recommendations using the ADOLOPMENT approach. Evidence about health effects from the original guidelines was reused, but important data about resource use, accessibility, feasibility, and impact in health equity were added. RESULTS: In the guideline accompanying this paper, Latin American panelists selected 17 questions from an original pool of 49. Of the 17 questions addressed, substantial changes were introduced for 5 recommendations, and remarks were added or modified for 12 recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: By using the evidence from an international guideline, a significant amount of work and time were saved; by adding regional evidence, the final recommendations were tailored to the Latin American context. This experience offers an alternative to develop guidelines relevant to local contexts through a global collaboration.

Methodology for the American Society of Hematology VTE guidelines: current best practice, innovations, and experiences.

BACKGROUND: Methods for the development of clinical guidelines have advanced dramatically over the past 2 decades to strive for trustworthiness, transparency, user-friendliness, and rigor. The American Society of Hematology (ASH) guidelines on venous thromboembolism (VTE) have followed these advances, together with application of methodological innovations. OBJECTIVE: In this article, we describe methods and methodological innovations as a model to inform future guideline enterprises by ASH and others to achieve guideline standards. Methodological innovations introduced in the development of the guidelines aim to address current challenges in guideline development. METHODS: We followed ASH policy for guideline development, which is based on the Guideline International Network (GIN)-McMaster Guideline Development Checklist and current best practices. Central coordination, specialist working groups, and expert panels were established for the development of 10 VTE guidelines. Methodological guidance resources were developed to guide the process across guidelines panels. A methods advisory group guided the development and implementation of methodological innovations to address emerging challenges and needs. RESULTS: The complete set of VTE guidelines will include >250 recommendations. Methodological innovations include the use of health-outcome descriptors, online voting with guideline development software, modeling of pathways for diagnostic questions, application of expert evidence, and a template manuscript for publication of ASH guidelines. These methods advance guideline development standards and have already informed other ASH guideline projects. CONCLUSIONS: The development of the ASH VTE guidelines followed rigorous methods and introduced methodological innovations during guideline development, striving for the highest possible level of trustworthiness, transparency, user-friendliness, and rigor.