Characterisation of the morphology of surface-assembled Au nanoclusters on amorphous carbon.

In this study, aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy is employed to investigate the morphology of Au clusters formed from the aggregation of single atoms sputtered onto an amorphous carbon surface. The morphologies of surface-assembled clusters of N > 100 atoms are referenced against the morphologies of size-selected clusters determined from previously published results. We observe that surface-assembled clusters (at the conditions employed here) are approximately spherical in shape. The structural isomers of the imaged clusters have also been identified, and the distribution of structural types is broadly in agreement with those from size-selected cluster deposition sources. For clusters of approximately 147 atoms, we find a preference for icosahedra over decahedra and truncated octahedra, but at this size there is a high proportion of unidentified/amorphous structures. At around 309 atoms, we find a preference for decahedra over icosahedra and truncated octahedra, but over half the structures remain unidentifiable/amorphous. For sizes above approximately 561 atoms we are able to identify most of the structures, and find decahedra are still the most favoured, although in competition with single-crystal fcc morphologies. The similarity in structure between surface-assembled and size-selected clusters from a cluster source provides evidence of the relevance of size-selected cluster studies to clusters synthesised by other, industrially relevant, methodologies.

Shared decision-making approach to type 2 diabetes management.

OBJECTIVE: To provide an online interactive decision aid to facilitate shared decision making in the context of medication choices for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). SOURCES OF INFORMATION: The best available clinical prediction model for patients with T2DM was selected based on a review of guidelines, DynaMed, and UpToDate and a search of PubMed. A list of pharmacotherapeutic options for T2DM was compiled based on a review of guidelines, narrative reviews, and expert opinion. To determine the benefits and harms of each treatment, federated search engines were searched for meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials, supplemented by individual randomized controlled trials for outcomes not reported in meta-analyses. MAIN MESSAGE: Approximately 2.1 million Canadians have T2DM, with a resulting increased risk of death, cardiovascular disease, and microvascular outcomes. While more than a dozen medication options are available, decisions regarding these medications are challenging, as patients vary in their preferences. Shared decision making has the potential to individualize these difficult decisions, but the number of diabetes-related outcomes and available treatment options have made this historically impractical. It is within this context that the PEER Diabetes Medication Decision Aid was developed. This decision aid provides patients with personalized 10-year risk estimates for 6 clinically important diabetes-related outcomes. The tool also allows patients to focus on the outcome that matters most to them and to compare the benefits and harms of up to 12 different treatment options. This information is displayed in personalized absolute numbers, along with practical considerations such as cost. CONCLUSION: The PEER Diabetes Medication Decision Aid provides a practical tool that can enable patients with T2DM to come to autonomous and well-informed medication decisions.

Direct Secure Messaging in Practice: Addressing Workflow Challenges.

Direct Secure Messaging (DSM) is a sender-initiated communication technology for exchanging patient-specific information among clinicians and disparate healthcare organizations. As DSM adoption increases it becomes more difficult for clinicians and staff to manage the volume and variety of external data received. This can lead to information hazards that can produce cognitive overload and decrease the ability of clinicians to process patient data when reviewing multiple sources. While DSM is one of many options for electronically exchanging health information, we have found that poor user awareness of DSM features and variable EHR capabilities for sending, receiving, and managing messages and their contents demonstrate that additional work is needed to achieve DSM's potential as a low-barrier, ubiquitous option for clinical interoperability. This paper reviews these problems from end-user perspective and offers best-practices for both senders and recipients of DSM.

Quality of antibiotic prescribing for pediatric community-acquired Pneumonia in outpatient care.

BACKGROUND: Antibiotics remain the primary treatment for community acquired pneumonia (CAP), however rising rates of antimicrobial resistance may jeopardize their future efficacy. With higher rates of disease reported in the youngest populations, effective treatment courses for pediatric pneumonia are of paramount importance. This study is the first to examine the quality of pediatric antibiotic use by agent, dose and duration. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study included all outpatient/primary care physician visits for pediatric CAP (aged < 19 years) between January 1 2014 to December 31 2018. Relevant practice guidelines were identified, and treatment recommendations extracted. Amoxicillin was the primary first-line agent for pediatric CAP. Categories of prescribing included: guideline adherent, effective but unnecessary (excess dose and/or duration), under treatment (insufficient dose and/or duration), and not recommended. Proportions of attributable-antibiotic use were examined by prescribing category, and then stratified by age and sex. RESULT(S): A total of 42,452 episodes of pediatric CAP were identified. Of those, 31,347 (76%) resulted in an antibiotic prescription. Amoxicillin accounted for 51% of all prescriptions. Overall, 27% of prescribing was fully guideline adherent, 19% effective but unnecessary, 10% under treatment, and 44% not recommended by agent. Excessive duration was the hallmark of effective but unnecessary prescribing (97%) Macrolides accounted for the majority on non-first line agent use, with only 32% of not recommended prescribing preceded by a previous course of antibiotics. CONCLUSION(S): This study is the first in Canada to examine prescribing quality for pediatric CAP by agent, dose and duration. Utilizing first-line agents, and shorter-course treatments are targets for stewardship.

Retrospective cohort analysis of outpatient antibiotic prescribing for community-acquired pneumonia in Canadian older adults.

BACKGROUND: This retrospective cohort study is the first in North America to examine population-level appropriate antibiotic use for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in older adults, by agent, dose and duration. With the highest rates of CAP reported in the elderly populations, appropriate antibiotic use is essential to improve clinical outcomes. Given the ongoing crisis of antimicrobial resistance, understanding inappropriate antibiotic prescribing is integral to direct community stewardship efforts. METHODS: All outpatient primary care visits for CAP (aged ≥65 years) were identified using physician billing codes between January 1 2014 to December 31 2018 in British Columbia (BC) and Ontario (ON). Categories of prescribing were derived from existing literature, and constructed for clinical relevance using Canadian and international guidelines available during the study period. Categories were mutually exclusive and included: guideline adherent (first-line agent, adherent dose/duration), clinically appropriate (non-first line agent, presence of comorbidities), effective but unnecessary (first-line agent, excess dose/duration), undertreatment (first-line agent, subtherapeutic dose/duration), and not recommended (non-first line agent, absence of comorbidities). Proportions of prescribing were examined by category. Temporal trends in prescribing were examined using Poisson regression. RESULTS: A total of 436,441 episodes of CAP were identified, with 46% prescribed an antibiotic in BC, and 52% in Ontario. Guideline adherent prescribing was minimal for both provinces (BC: 2%; ON: 1%) however the largest magnitude of increase was reported in this category by the final study year (BC-Rate Ratio [RR]: 3.4, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 2.7-4.3; ON-RR: 4.62, 95% CI: 3.4-6.5). Clinically appropriate prescribing accounted for the most antibiotics issued, across all study years (BC: 61%; ON: 74%) (BC-RR: 0.8, 95% CI: 0.8-0.8; ON-RR: 0.9, 95% CI: 0.8-0.9). Excess duration of therapy was the hallmark characteristic for effective but unnecessary prescribing (BC: 92%; ON: 99%). The most common duration prescribed was 7 days, followed by 10. Not recommended prescribing was minimal in both provinces (BC: 4%; ON: 7%) and remained stable by the final study year (BC-RR: 1.1, 95% CI: 0.9-1.2; ON-RR: 0.9, 95% CI: 0.9-1.1). CONCLUSION: Three quarters of antibiotic prescribing for CAP was appropriate in Ontario, but only two thirds in BC. Shortening durations-in line with evidence for 3 to 5-day treatment presents a focused target for stewardship efforts.

PEER simplified lipid guideline 2023 update: Prevention and management of cardiovascular disease in primary care.

OBJECTIVE: To update the 2015 clinical practice guideline and provide a simplified approach to lipid management in the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) for primary care. METHODS: Following the Institute of Medicine's Clinical Practice Guidelines We Can Trust, a multidisciplinary, pan-Canadian guideline panel was formed. This panel was represented by primary care providers, free from conflicts of interest with industry, and included the patient perspective. A separate scientific evidence team performed evidence reviews on statins, ezetimibe, proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 inhibitors, fibrates, bile acid sequestrants, niacin, and omega-3 supplements (docosahexaenoic acid with eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] or EPA ethyl ester alone [icosapent]), as well as on 11 supplemental questions. Recommendations were finalized by the guideline panel through use of the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology. RECOMMENDATIONS: All recommendations are presented in a patient-centred manner designed with the needs of family physicians and other primary care providers in mind. Many recommendations are similar to those published in 2015. Statins remain first-line therapy for both primary and secondary CVD prevention, and the Mediterranean diet and physical activity are recommended to reduce cardiovascular risk (primary and secondary prevention). The guideline panel recommended against using lipoprotein a, apolipoprotein B, or coronary artery calcium levels when assessing cardiovascular risk, and recommended against targeting specific lipid levels. The team also reviewed new evidence pertaining to omega-3 fatty acids (including EPA ethyl ester [icosapent]) and proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 inhibitors, and outlined when to engage in informed shared decision making with patients on interventions to lower cardiovascular risk. CONCLUSION: These updated evidence-based guidelines provide a simplified approach to lipid management for the prevention and management of CVD. These guidelines were created by and for primary health care professionals and their patients.

Lipid-lowering therapies for cardiovascular disease prevention and management in primary care: PEER umbrella systematic review of systematic reviews.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the benefits and harms of lipid-lowering therapies used to prevent or manage cardiovascular disease including bile acid sequestrants (BAS), ezetimibe, fibrates, niacin, omega-3 supplements, proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors, and statins. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and a grey literature search. STUDY SELECTION: Systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials published between January 2017 and March 2022 looking at statins, ezetimibe, PCSK9 inhibitors, fibrates, BAS, niacin, and omega-3 supplements for preventing cardiovascular outcomes were selected. Outcomes of interest included major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), cardiovascular mortality, all-cause mortality, and adverse events. SYNTHESIS: A total of 76 systematic reviews were included. Four randomized controlled trials were also included for BAS because no efficacy systematic review was identified. Statins significantly reduced MACE (6 systematic reviews; median risk ratio [RR]=0.74; interquartile range [IQR]=0.71 to 0.76), cardiovascular mortality (7 systematic reviews; median RR=0.85, IQR=0.83 to 0.86), and all-cause mortality (8 systematic reviews; median RR=0.91, IQR=0.88 to 0.92). Major adverse cardiovascular events were also significantly reduced by ezetimibe (3 systematic reviews; median RR=0.93, IQR=0.93 to 0.94), PCSK9 inhibitors (14 systematic reviews; median RR=0.84, IQR=0.83 to 0.87), and fibrates (2 systematic reviews; mean RR=0.86), but these interventions had no effect on cardiovascular or all-cause mortality. Fibrates had no effect on any cardiovascular outcomes when added to a statin. Omega-3 combination supplements had no effect on MACE or all-cause mortality but significantly reduced cardiovascular mortality (5 systematic reviews; median RR=0.93, IQR=0.93 to 0.94). Eicosapentaenoic acid ethyl ester alone significantly reduced MACE (1 systematic review, RR=0.78) and cardiovascular mortality (2 systematic reviews; RRs of 0.82 and 0.82). In primary cardiovascular prevention, only statins showed consistent benefits on MACE (6 systematic reviews; median RR=0.75, IQR=0.73 to 0.78), cardiovascularall-cause mortality (7 systematic reviews, median RR=0.83, IQR=0.81 to 0.90), and all-cause mortality (8 systematic reviews; median RR=0.91, IQR=0.87 to 0.91). CONCLUSION: Statins have the most consistent evidence for the prevention of cardiovascular complications with a relative risk reduction of about 25% for MACE and 10% to 15% for mortality. The addition of ezetimibe, a PCSK9 inhibitor, or eicosapentaenoic acid ethyl ester to a statin provides additional MACE risk reduction but has no effect on all-cause mortality.

Lignes directrices simplifiées de PEER sur les lipides : actualisation 2023: Prévention et prise en charge des maladies cardiovasculaires en soins primaires.

OBJECTIF: Actualiser le guide de pratique clinique de 2015 et présenter une approche simplifiée de la prise en charge des lipides dans la prévention des maladies cardiovasculaires (MCV) en première ligne. MÉTHODES: Conformément aux recommandations de l'Institute of Medicine dans Clinical Practice Guidelines We Can Trust, un panel pancanadien d'experts multidisciplinaires en lignes directrices a été formé. Ce panel était représentatif des cliniciens en soins primaires, libre de tout conflit d'intérêts avec l'industrie, et il tenait compte des points de vue des patients. Une équipe distincte, responsable des données probantes scientifiques, a passé en revue l'information sur les statines, l'ézétimibe, les inhibiteurs de la proprotéine convertase subtilisine-kexine de type 9, les fibrates, les chélateurs des acides biliaires, la niacine et les suppléments d'omega-3 (acide docosahexaénoïque avec acide eicosapentaénoïque [EPA] ou ester éthylique de l'EPA seul [icosapent]), ainsi que sur la réponse à 11 questions supplémentaires. Le panel des lignes directrices a finalisé les recommandations en utilisant la méthodologie GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation). RECOMMANDATIONS: Toutes les recommandations sont présentées de manière à être centrées sur le patient et conçues en ayant à l'esprit les besoins des médecins de famille et des autres cliniciens des soins primaires. De nombreuses recommandations sont semblables à celles publiées en 2015. Les statines demeurent le traitement de première intention pour la prévention tant primaire que secondaire des MCV, et le régime méditerranéen et l'activité physique sont recommandés pour réduire le risque cardiovasculaire (en prévention primaire et secondaire). Le panel des lignes directrices a recommandé de ne pas utiliser le dosage des lipoprotéines a, des apolipoprotéines B ou le score calcique coronarien (SCC) dans l'évaluation du risque cardiovasculaire, et de ne pas cibler de seuils précis de taux lipidiques. L'équipe a aussi passé en revue de nouvelles données concernant les acides gras omega-3 (y compris l'ester éthylique d'EAP [icosapent]) et les inhibiteurs de la proprotéine convertase subtilisine-kexine de type 9, et a précisé les moments où il convient de procéder à une prise de décision partagée avec les patients sur les interventions pour diminuer le risque cardiovasculaire. CONCLUSION: Ces lignes directrices actualisées et fondées sur des données probantes présentent une approche simplifiée de la prise en charge des lipides pour la prévention et le traitement des MCV. Ce guide de pratique clinique a été conçu par et pour des professionnels de la santé en soins primaires et leurs patients.

Horizon scanning: what next for bovine TB control in England?

England is currently in year nine of its 25-year strategy to achieve TB freedom. This talk will speculate on what new tools and approaches could be introduced in the future to help us achieve our goal.Using Defra's response to the independent review of its TB programme as a starting point and building on the plenary talk by the UK CVO, I will look at some opportunities that could arise under the different aspects of the response.Firstly, how best to help farmers reduce their herd TB risk through better informed purchasing decisions will be considered, including looking at the recent publication of the health ratings for every cattle herd in England.Cattle vaccination, and its associated DIVA test could be the biggest change in Tb control in England in many years while the related development of a molecularly defined tuberculin which could become the default testing reagent.Advances in whole genome sequencing will allow us to sequence the genome of M.bovis isolated from most infected herds in England and these data could unlock a variety of opportunities from tracing the spread of infection to ground-truthing the efficacy of testing and epidemiological assessment of breakdowns.Finally, the move to vaccination as the primary way of controlling TB in badgers with culling used very sparingly will be considered using a case study of how a targeted badger cull successfully removed infection from an area in Cumbria and enabled the switch to vaccination.

Tolerability of bedtime diuretics: a prospective cohort analysis.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to validate, or refute, the common belief that bedtime diuretics are poorly tolerated due to nocturia. DESIGN: Prespecified prospective cohort analysis embedded within the randomised BedMed trial, in which hypertensive participants are randomised to morning versus bedtime antihypertensive administration. SETTING: 352 community family practices across 4 Canadian provinces between March 2017 and September 2020. PARTICIPANTS: 552 hypertensive patients (65.6 years old, 57.4% female) already established on a single once-daily morning antihypertensive and randomised to switch that antihypertensive to bedtime. Of these, 203 used diuretics (27.1% thiazide alone, 70.0% thiazide/non-diuretic combinations) and 349 used non-diuretics. INTERVENTION: Switching the established antihypertensive from morning to bedtime, and comparing the experience of diuretic and non-diuretic users. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome: Adherence to bedtime allocation time at 6 months (defined as the willingness to continue with bedtime use, not an assessment of missed doses). Secondary 6-month outcomes: (1) nocturia considered to be a major burden and (2) increase in overnight urinations/week. All outcomes were self-reported and additionally collected at 6 weeks. RESULTS: At 6 months: Adherence to bedtime allocation time was lower in diuretic users than non-diuretic users (77.3% vs 89.8%; difference 12.6%; 95% CI 5.8% to 19.8%; p<0.0001; NNH 8.0), and more diuretic users considered nocturia a major burden (15.6% vs 1.3%; difference 14.2%; 95% CI 8.9% to 20.6%; p<0.0001; NNH 7.0). Compared with baseline, diuretic users experienced 1.0 more overnight urinations/week (95% CI 0.0 to 1.75; p=0.01). Results did not differ between sexes. CONCLUSIONS: Switching diuretics to bedtime did promote nocturia, but only 15.6% found nocturia a major burden. At 6 months, 77.3% of diuretic users were adherent to bedtime dosing. Bedtime diuretic use is viable for many hypertensive patients, should it ever become clinically indicated. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02990663.

Team approach to polypharmacy evaluation and reduction: feasibility randomized trial of a structured clinical pathway to reduce polypharmacy.

BACKGROUND: Polypharmacy is associated with poorer health outcomes in older adults. Other than the associated multimorbidity, factors contributing to this association could include medication adverse effects and interactions, difficulties in managing complicated medication regimes, and reduced medication adherence. It is unknown how reversible these negative associations may be if polypharmacy is reduced. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of implementing an operationalized clinical pathway aimed to reduce polypharmacy in primary care and to pilot measurement tools suitable for assessing change in health outcomes in a larger randomized controlled trial (RCT). METHODS: We randomized consenting patients ≥ 70 years old on ≥ 5 long-term medications into intervention or control groups. We collected baseline demographic information and research outcome measures at baseline and 6 months. We assessed four categories of feasibility outcomes: process, resource, management, and scientific. The intervention group received TAPER (team approach to polypharmacy evaluation and reduction), a clinical pathway for reducing polypharmacy using "pause and monitor" drug holiday approach. TAPER integrates patients' goals, priorities, and preferences with an evidence-based "machine screen" to identify potentially problematic medications and support a tapering and monitoring process, all supported by a web-based system, TaperMD. Patients met with a clinical pharmacist and then with their family physician to finalize a plan for optimization of medications using TaperMD. The control group received usual care and were offered TAPER after follow-up at 6 months. RESULTS: All 9 criteria for feasibility were met across the 4 feasibility outcome domains. Of 85 patients screened for eligibility, 39 eligible patients were recruited and randomized; two were excluded post hoc for not meeting the age requirement. Withdrawals (2) and losses to follow-up (3) were small and evenly distributed between arms. Areas for intervention and research process improvement were identified. In general, outcome measures performed well and appeared suitable for assessing change in a larger RCT. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this feasibility study indicate that TAPER as a clinical pathway is feasible to implement in a primary care team setting and in an RCT research framework. Outcome trends suggest effectiveness. A large-scale RCT will be conducted to investigate the effectiveness of TAPER on reducing polypharmacy and improving health outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov NCT02562352 , Registered September 29, 2015.

Translation and cultural adaptation of MedStopper®-A web-based decision aid for deprescribing in older adults: A protocol.

BACKGROUND: Older patients are more likely to have medication-related problems, which are associated with changes in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, multimorbidity, and polypharmacy. Polypharmacy and inappropriate prescribing are well-known risk factors which commonly cause adverse clinical outcomes in older people. Prescribers struggle to identify potentially inappropriate medications and to choose an adequate tapering approach. METHODS/DESIGN: The goal of the study is to translate and culturally adapt MedStopper®, an original English language web-based decision aid system in deprescribing medication, to the Portuguese population. A translation-back translation method, with validation of the obtained Portuguese version of MedStopper® will be used, followed by a comprehension test. DISCUSSION: This is the first research in the Portuguese primary care setting that aims to provide a useful online tool for the appropriate prescription of older patients. The translated version in Portuguese version of the MedStopper® tool will represent an advance that seeks to continue improving the management of medications in the elderly. The adaptation into Portuguese of the educational tool provides clinicians with a screening tool to detect potentially inappropriate prescribing in patients older than 65 that reliable and easier to use. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered.

Improving screening, treatment, and intervention for unhealthy alcohol use in primary care through clinic, practice-based research network, and health plan partnerships: Protocol of the ANTECEDENT study.

BACKGROUND: Unhealthy alcohol use (UAU) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, contributing to 95,000 deaths annually. When offered in primary care, screening, brief intervention, referral to treatment (SBIRT), and medication-assisted treatment for alcohol use disorder (MAUD) can effectively address UAU. However, these interventions are not yet routine in primary care clinics. Therefore, our study evaluates tailored implementation support to increase SBIRT and MAUD in primary care. METHODS: ANTECEDENT is a pragmatic implementation study designed to support 150 primary care clinics in Oregon adopting and optimizing SBIRT and MAUD workflows to address UAU. The study is a partnership between the Oregon Health Authority Transformation Center-state leaders in Medicaid health system transformation-SBIRT Oregon and the Oregon Rural Practice-based Research Network. We recruited clinics providing primary care in Oregon and prioritized reaching clinics that were small to medium in size (<10 providers). All participating clinics receive foundational support (i.e., a baseline assessment, exit assessment, and access to the online SBIRT Oregon materials) and may opt to receive tailored implementation support delivered by a practice facilitator over 12 months. Tailored implementation support is designed to address identified needs and may include health information technology support, peer-to-peer learning, workflow mapping, or expert consultation via academic detailing. The study aims are to 1) engage, recruit, and conduct needs assessments with 150 primary care clinics and their regional Medicaid health plans called Coordinated Care Organizations within the state of Oregon, 2) implement and evaluate the impact of foundational and supplemental implementation support on clinic change in SBIRT and MAUD, and 3) describe how practice facilitators tailor implementation support based on context and personal expertise. Our convergent parallel mixed-methods analysis uses RE-AIM (reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, maintenance). It is informed by a hybrid of the i-PARIHS (integrated Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services) and the Dynamic Sustainability Framework. DISCUSSION: This study will explore how primary care clinics implement SBIRT and MAUD in routine practice and how practice facilitators vary implementation support across diverse clinic settings. Findings will inform how to effectively align implementation support to context, advance our understanding of practice facilitator skill development over time, and ultimately improve detection and treatment of UAU across diverse primary care clinics.

PEER simplified chronic pain guideline: Management of chronic low back, osteoarthritic, and neuropathic pain in primary care.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a clinical practice guideline to support the management of chronic pain, including low back, osteoarthritic, and neuropathic pain in primary care. METHODS: The guideline was developed with an emphasis on best available evidence and shared decision-making principles. Ten health professionals (4 generalist family physicians, 1 pain management-focused family physician, 1 anesthesiologist, 1 physical therapist, 1 pharmacist, 1 nurse practitioner, and 1 psychologist), a patient representative, and a nonvoting pharmacist and guideline methodologist comprised the Guideline Committee. Member selection was based on profession, practice setting, and lack of financial conflicts of interest. The guideline process was iterative in identification of key questions, evidence review, and development of guideline recommendations. Three systematic reviews, including a total of 285 randomized controlled trials, were completed. Randomized controlled trials were included only if they reported a responder analysis (eg, how many patients achieved a 30% or greater reduction in pain). The committee directed an Evidence Team (composed of evidence experts) to address an additional 11 complementary questions. Key recommendations were derived through committee consensus. The guideline and shared decision-making tools underwent extensive review by clinicians and patients before publication. RECOMMENDATIONS: Physical activity is recommended as the foundation for managing osteoarthritis and chronic low back pain; evidence of benefit is unclear for neuropathic pain. Cognitive-behavioural therapy or mindfulness-based stress reduction are also suggested as options for managing chronic pain. Treatments for which there is clear, unclear, or no benefit are outlined for each condition. Treatments for which harms likely outweigh benefits for all or most conditions studied include opioids and cannabinoids. CONCLUSION: This guideline for the management of chronic pain, including osteoarthritis, low back pain, and neuropathic pain, highlights best available evidence including both benefits and harms for a number of treatment interventions. A strong recommendation for exercise as the primary treatment for chronic osteoarthritic and low back pain is made based on demonstrated long-term evidence of benefit. This information is intended to assist with, not dictate, shared decision making with patients.

Lignes directrices simplifiées de PEER sur la douleur chronique: Gestion de la douleur chronique lombaire, arthrosique et neuropathique en première ligne.

OBJECTIF: Formuler des lignes directrices de pratique clinique pour soutenir la prise en charge de la douleur chronique, y compris la douleur lombaire, arthrosique et neuropathique, dans les soins primaires. MÉTHODES: Ces lignes directrices ont été élaborées en mettant l'accent sur les meilleures données probantes disponibles et sur les principes de décision partagée. Dix professionnels de la santé (4 omnipraticiens, 1 médecin de famille spécialisée en gestion de la douleur, 1 anesthésiste, 1 physiothérapeute, 1 pharmacienne, 1 infirmière praticienne et 1 psychologue), 1 représentant des patients, et 1 pharmacienne et spécialiste de la méthodologie des lignes directrices sans droit de vote composaient le comité des lignes directrices. Les membres ont été sélectionnés en fonction de leur profession, de leur milieu de pratique, et de l'absence d'un conflit d'intérêts de nature financière. Les lignes directrices sont le fruit d'un processus itératif incluant la détermination des questions clés, l'examen des données probantes et la formulation des recommandations des lignes directrices. Trois revues systématiques, totalisant 285 études avec répartition aléatoire et contrôlées ont été réalisées. Ces études n'étaient incluses que si elles avaient rapporté une analyse des répondants (p. ex. combien de patients ont obtenu un soulagement d'au moins 30% de la douleur). Le comité a confié à une équipe d'examen des données (composée de spécialistes des données probantes) la tâche de répondre à 11 autres questions complémentaires. Les principales recommandations découlent d'un consensus au sein du comité. Des cliniciens et des patients ont minutieusement examiné les lignes directrices et les outils de décision partagée avant leur publication. RECOMMANDATIONS: L'activité physique est recommandée comme fondement de la gestion de la douleur arthrosique et lombaire chronique; les données probantes étayant un bienfait ne sont pas concluantes dans le cas de la douleur neuropathique. La thérapie cognitivo-comportementale ou la réduction du stress basée sur la pleine conscience sont également suggérées comme des options pour gérer la douleur chronique. Les traitements pour lesquels le bienfait est clair, non concluant ou absent sont décrits sous chaque affection. Les traitements dont les préjudices surpassent probablement les bienfaits pour toutes les affections étudiées, ou la plupart d'entre elles, sont les opioïdes et les cannabinoïdes. CONCLUSION: Ces lignes directrices sur la gestion de la douleur chronique, y compris la douleur arthrosique, lombaire et neuropathique, met en lumière les meilleures données probantes disponibles, y compris les bienfaits et préjudices pour un certain nombre d'interventions thérapeutiques. Une forte recommandation en faveur de l'exercice comme principal traitement de la douleur arthrosique et lombaire chronique repose sur des données probantes ayant démontré un bienfait depuis longtemps. Cette information vise à contribuer au processus de décision partagée avec le patient et non à le dicter.