An official ATS/ERS/JRS/ALAT clinical practice guideline: treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: an update of the 2011 clinical practice guideline

ABSTRACT

Background: This document updates the American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society/Japanese Respiratory Society/Latin American Thoracic Association guideline on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis treatment. Methods: Systematic reviews and, when appropriate, meta-analyses were performed to summarize all available evidence pertinent to our questions. The evidence was assessed using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach and then discussed by a multidisciplinary panel. Predetermined conflict-of-interest management strategies were applied, and recommendations were formulated, written, and graded exclusively by the nonconflicted panelists. Results: After considering the confidence in effect estimates, the importance of outcomes studied, desirable and undesirable consequences of treatment, cost, feasibility, acceptability of the intervention, and implications to health equity, recommendations were made for or against specific treatment interventions. Conclusions: The panel formulated and provided the rationale for recommendations in favor of or against treatment interventions for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.