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Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology :... Apr 2023To determine, by expert consensus through a modified Delphi process, the role of standardized and new ultrasound signs in the prenatal evaluation of patients at high...
OBJECTIVE
To determine, by expert consensus through a modified Delphi process, the role of standardized and new ultrasound signs in the prenatal evaluation of patients at high risk of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS).
METHODS
A systematic review of articles providing information on ultrasound imaging signs or markers associated with PAS was performed before the development of questionnaires for the first round of the Delphi process. Only peer-reviewed original research studies in the English language describing one or more new ultrasound sign(s) for the prenatal evaluation of PAS were included. A three-round consensus-building Delphi method was then conducted under the guidance of a steering group, which included nine experts who invited an international panel of experts in obstetric ultrasound imaging in the evaluation of patients at high risk for PAS. Consensus was defined as agreement of ≥ 70% between participants.
RESULTS
The systematic review identified 15 articles describing eight new ultrasound signs for the prenatal evaluation of PAS. A total of 35 external experts were approached, of whom 31 agreed and participated in the first round. Thirty external experts (97%) and seven experts from the steering group completed all three Delphi rounds. A consensus was reached that a prior history of at least one Cesarean delivery, myomectomy or PAS should be an indication for detailed PAS ultrasound assessment. The panelists also reached a consensus that seven of the 11 conventional signs of PAS should be included in the examination of high-risk patients and the routine mid-gestation scan report: (1) loss of the 'clear zone', (2) myometrial thinning, (3) bladder-wall interruption, (4) placental bulge, (5) uterovesical hypervascularity, (6) placental lacunae and (7) bridging vessels. A consensus was not reached for any of the eight new signs identified by the systematic review. With respect to other ultrasound features that are not specific to PAS but increase the probability of PAS at birth, the panelists reached a consensus for the finding of anterior placenta previa or placenta previa with cervical involvement. The experts were also asked to determine which PAS signs should be quantified and consensus was reached only for the quantification of placental lacunae using an existing score. For predicting surgical outcome in patients with a high probability of PAS at delivery, a consensus was obtained for loss of the clear zone, bladder-wall interruption, presence of placental lacunae and presence of placenta previa involving the cervix.
CONCLUSIONS
We have confirmed the continued importance of seven established standardized ultrasound signs of PAS, highlighted the role of transvaginal ultrasound in evaluating the placental position and anatomy of the cervix, and identified new ultrasound signs that may become useful in the future prenatal evaluation and management of patients at high risk for PAS at birth. © 2023 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Topics: Infant, Newborn; Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Placenta Accreta; Placenta; Placenta Previa; Delphi Technique; Ultrasonography; Ultrasonography, Prenatal; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 36609827
DOI: 10.1002/uog.26155 -
American Journal of Kidney Diseases :... May 2015Resources for research are insufficient to cover all unanswered questions, and therefore difficult choices about allocation must be made. Recently there has been a move... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Resources for research are insufficient to cover all unanswered questions, and therefore difficult choices about allocation must be made. Recently there has been a move toward more patient-centered research. This study aims to evaluate approaches to research prioritization in kidney disease and describe research priorities of patients with kidney disease, their caregivers, the health care providers involved in their care, and policy makers.
STUDY DESIGN
Systematic review.
SETTING & POPULATION
Studies that elicited patient, caregiver, health care provider, or policy maker priorities for research in kidney disease were included.
SEARCH STRATEGY & SOURCES
MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL were searched to May 2014.
ANALYTICAL APPROACH
Descriptive synthesis.
RESULTS
We identified 16 studies (n=2,365 participants) conducted in the United States, the Netherlands, Australia, Canada, and internationally. Only 4 (25%) studies explicitly involved patients. Various priority-setting methods were used, including the Delphi technique, expert panels, consensus conference, ranking or voting surveys, focus groups, and interviews, of which the process was described in detail by 11 (69%) studies. The priority areas for research most frequently identified across studies were prevention of acute kidney injury, prevention of chronic kidney disease progression, fluid and diet restrictions, improving vascular access, kidney transplant survival, access to transplantation, patient education, and psychosocial impact of chronic kidney disease.
LIMITATIONS
Most studies were conducted in high-income countries.
CONCLUSIONS
The priorities identified by kidney disease research priority-setting exercises are broad ranging, but patient involvement is uncommon and the processes often are incompletely described. Establishing research priorities using a prespecified and transparent process that engages patients, caregivers, and health care providers is needed to ensure that resources are invested to answer questions that address the shared priorities in kidney disease.
Topics: Biomedical Research; Decision Making; Disease Progression; Health Priorities; Humans; Kidney Diseases; Nephrology; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic
PubMed: 25582284
DOI: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2014.11.011 -
Zeitschrift Fur Rheumatologie Mar 2024Rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD) is a major driver of premature mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Detection of... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD) is a major driver of premature mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Detection of RA-ILD is crucial but requires awareness among the treating physicians. To date, however, there is no international recommendation concerning screening for ILD in RA patients.
METHODS
After a systematic literature review, the modified Delphi technique in combination with the nominal group technique was used to provide a Delphi consensus statement elaborated by an expert panel of pneumonologists, rheumatologists, and a radiologist. Based on the available evidence, several clusters of questions were defined and discussed until consent was reached.
RESULTS
A screening algorithm for ILD in patients with RA based on clinical signs, respiratory symptoms, and risk factors has been developed. Further, the recommendations address diagnostic tools for RA-ILD and the follow-up of RA patients qualifying for ILD screening.
Topics: Humans; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Lung Diseases, Interstitial; Risk Factors
PubMed: 38240817
DOI: 10.1007/s00393-023-01464-w -
Obstetrics and Gynecology Jan 2016To develop a consensus on a set of key clinical outcomes for the evaluation of preventive interventions for preterm birth in asymptomatic pregnant women.
OBJECTIVE
To develop a consensus on a set of key clinical outcomes for the evaluation of preventive interventions for preterm birth in asymptomatic pregnant women.
METHODS
A two-stage web-based Delphi survey and a face-to-face meeting of key stakeholders were used to develop a consensus on a set of critical and important outcomes. We approached five stakeholder groups (parents, midwives, obstetricians, neonatologists, and researchers) from middle- and high-income countries. Outcomes subjected to the Delphi survey were identified by systematic literature review and stakeholder input. Survey participants scored each outcome on a 9-point Likert scale anchored between 1 (limited importance) and 9 (critical importance). They had the opportunity to reflect on total and stakeholder subgroup feedback between survey stages. For consensus, defined a priori, outcomes required at least 70% of participants of each stakeholder group to score them as "critical" and less than 15% as "limited."
RESULTS
A total of 228 participants from five stakeholder groups from three lower middle-income countries, seven upper middle-income countries, and 17 high-income countries were asked to score 31 outcomes. Of these participants, 195 completed the first survey and 174 the second. Consensus was reached on 13 core outcomes: four were related to pregnant women: maternal mortality, maternal infection or inflammation, prelabor rupture of membranes, and harm to mother from intervention. Nine were related to offspring: gestational age at birth, offspring mortality, birth weight, early neurodevelopmental morbidity, late neurodevelopmental morbidity, gastrointestinal morbidity, infection, respiratory morbidity, and harm to offspring from intervention.
CONCLUSION
This core outcome set for studies that evaluate prevention of preterm birth developed with an international multidisciplinary perspective will ensure that data from trials that assess prevention of preterm birth can be compared and combined.
DATABASE REGISTRATION
COMET Initiative, http://www.comet-initiative.org/studies/details/603, REGISTRATION NUMBER: 603.
Topics: Adult; Biomedical Research; Birth Weight; Consensus; Delphi Technique; Developmental Disabilities; Female; Fetal Membranes, Premature Rupture; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Gestational Age; Humans; Infant; Infant Mortality; Infant, Newborn; Maternal Mortality; Nervous System Diseases; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; Premature Birth; Research Design; Respiratory Tract Diseases
PubMed: 26646133
DOI: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000001195 -
Reumatologia Clinica 2018To develop recommendations for the use of parenteral methotrexate (MTX) in rheumatic diseases, mainly rheumatoid arthritis, based on best evidence and experience.
OBJECTIVE
To develop recommendations for the use of parenteral methotrexate (MTX) in rheumatic diseases, mainly rheumatoid arthritis, based on best evidence and experience.
METHODS
A group of 21 experts on parenteral MTX use was selected. The coordinator formulated 13 questions about parenteral MTX (indications, efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness). A systematic review was conducted to answer the questions. Using this information, inclusion and exclusion criteria were established, as were the search strategies (involving Medline, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library). Three different reviewers selected the articles. Evidence tables were created. Abstracts from the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) and American College of Rheumatology (ACR) were evaluated. Based on this evidence, the coordinator proposed preliminary recommendations that the experts discussed and voted in a nominal group meeting. The level of evidence and grade of recommendation were established using the Oxford Center for Evidence-Based Medicine and the level of agreement with the Delphi technique (2 rounds). Agreement was established if at least 80% of the experts voted yes (yes/no).
RESULTS
Most of the evidence involved rheumatoid arthritis. A total of 13 preliminary recommendations on the use of parenteral MTX were proposed; 11 of them were accepted. Two of the 13 were not voted and are commented on in the main text.
CONCLUSIONS
The manuscript aims to solve frequent questions and help in decision-making strategies when treating patients with parenteral MTX.
Topics: Antirheumatic Agents; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Biological Availability; Clinical Decision-Making; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Administration Routes; Evidence-Based Medicine; Humans; Medication Adherence; Methotrexate; Patient Education as Topic; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Quality of Life; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Rheumatic Diseases; Self Administration
PubMed: 28082032
DOI: 10.1016/j.reuma.2016.12.001 -
The Lancet. Oncology Dec 2018Rapid developments in imaging and treatment with radiopharmaceuticals targeting prostate cancer pose issues for the development of guidelines for their appropriate use....
Rapid developments in imaging and treatment with radiopharmaceuticals targeting prostate cancer pose issues for the development of guidelines for their appropriate use. To tackle this problem, international experts representing medical oncologists, urologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, and nuclear medicine specialists convened at the European Association of Nuclear Medicine Focus 1 meeting to deliver a balanced perspective on available data and clinical experience of imaging in prostate cancer, which had been supported by a systematic review of the literature and a modified Delphi process. Relevant conclusions included the following: diphosphonate bone scanning and contrast-enhanced CT are mentioned but rarely recommended for most patients in clinical guidelines; MRI (whole-body or multiparametric) and prostate cancer-targeted PET are frequently suggested, but the specific contexts in which these methods affect practice are not established; sodium fluoride-18 for PET-CT bone scanning is not widely advocated, whereas gallium-68 or fluorine-18 prostate-specific membrane antigen gain acceptance; and, palliative treatment with bone targeting radiopharmaceuticals (rhenium-186, samarium-153, or strontium-89) have largely been replaced by radium-223 on the basis of the survival benefit that was reported in prospective trials, and by other systemic therapies with proven survival benefits. Although the advances in MRI and PET-CT have improved the accuracy of imaging, the effects of these new methods on clinical outcomes remains to be established. Improved communication between imagers and clinicians and more multidisciplinary input in clinical trial design are essential to encourage imaging insights into clinical decision making.
Topics: Biomarkers, Tumor; Consensus; Delphi Technique; Humans; Male; Molecular Imaging; Predictive Value of Tests; Prostatic Neoplasms; Theranostic Nanomedicine; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 30507436
DOI: 10.1016/S1470-2045(18)30604-1 -
Nursing Open Jul 2022To develop an assessment tool to assess the severity and healing of skin impairment with the central venous access device.
AIM
To develop an assessment tool to assess the severity and healing of skin impairment with the central venous access device.
DESIGN
Delphi technique.
METHODS
The instrument domain list was developed through a systematic literature review and semi-structured interviews. Experts from China evaluated the relevance and significance of these items in assessing the degree of skin impairment surrounding central venous access device sites through two Delphi rounds. The APA Style JARS checklist for this article was used.
RESULTS
For the systematic literature review, 28 articles were included to develop the wound assessment instrument. From the articles and interview contents, 15 criteria were selected based on reporting frequency. After further screening via in-depth discussion, the central venous access devices associated with the skin impairment assessment tool were refined to include 14 major domains. Through a two-phase Delphi process, 71 items in 12 domains were ultimately retained.
Topics: Checklist; Mass Screening; Physical Examination; Skin Care; Wound Healing
PubMed: 35502576
DOI: 10.1002/nop2.1220 -
The Journal of Maternal-fetal &... Feb 2022Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a combination of symptoms in infants exposed to any variety of substances in utero. Information systems and registries help to...
OBJECTIVES
Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a combination of symptoms in infants exposed to any variety of substances in utero. Information systems and registries help to collect information about these patients; however, there is always a deep gap between complete and accurate information to be collected, understood, and applied in the health care system; thus, defining a minimum data sets (MDS) as one of the primarily steps of designing a registry system is essential. The aim of this study was to develop an MDS of the registry for infants with NAS in Iran.
METHODS
This research is a descriptive cross-sectional study. In this study, three steps were carried out to develop the MDS including systematic review, Delphi technique, and focus group discussion. A systematic review was conducted in relevant databases to identify appropriate related data. In the second phase, a focus group discussion was used to classify the extracted data elements by contributing neonatologists. Finally, data elements were chosen through the decision Delphi technique in two distinct rounds. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS 22 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL).
RESULTS
By reviewing related papers and available NAS registries in other countries, 145 essential data elements were identified. They were classified into two main categories based on the eight experts' opinions including maternal with two sections and infant with two sections. After applying two rounds of Delphi technique, the final data elements for maternal and infant categories were 42 and 31, respectively. Thus, on completion of the survey, 73 data elements were approved.
CONCLUSION
The proposed MDS for NAS can help to store an accurate and comprehensive data, document medical records, integrate them with other information systems and registries, and communicate with other healthcare providers and healthcare centers. This MDS can contribute to the provision of high-quality care and better clinical decisions.
Topics: Cross-Sectional Studies; Delphi Technique; Focus Groups; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome; Plant Extracts; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 33047642
DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2020.1730319 -
Gastroenterologia Y Hepatologia Dec 2016Helicobacter pylori approximately infect 50% of Spanish population and causes chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer and gastric cancer. Until now, three consensus meetings on...
Helicobacter pylori approximately infect 50% of Spanish population and causes chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer and gastric cancer. Until now, three consensus meetings on H.pylori infection had been performed in Spain (the last in 2012). The changes in the treatment schemes, and the increasing available evidence, have justified organizing the IVSpanish Consensus Conference (March 2016), focused on the treatment of this infection. Nineteen experts participated, who performed a systematic review of the scientific evidence and developed a series of recommendation that were subjected to an anonymous Delphi process of iterative voting. Scientific evidence and the strength of the recommendation were classified using GRADE guidelines. As starting point, this consensus increased the minimum acceptable efficacy of recommended treatments that should reach, or preferably surpass, the 90% cure rate when prescribed empirically. Therefore, only quadruple therapies (with or without bismuth), and generally lasting 14 days, are recommended both for first and second line treatments. Non-bismuth quadruple concomitant regimen, including a proton pump inhibitor, clarithromycin, amoxicillin and metronidazole, is recommended as first line. In the present consensus, other first line alternatives and rescue treatments are also reviewed and recommended.
Topics: Algorithms; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bismuth; Clinical Trials as Topic; Delphi Technique; Drug Therapy, Combination; Gastritis; Helicobacter Infections; Helicobacter pylori; Humans; Meta-Analysis as Topic; Probiotics; Proton Pump Inhibitors; Recurrence; Salvage Therapy; Stomach Neoplasms; Stomach Ulcer; Treatment Failure
PubMed: 27342080
DOI: 10.1016/j.gastrohep.2016.05.003 -
Pediatric Research Mar 2022The lack of a consensus definition of neonatal sepsis and a core outcome set (COS) proves a substantial impediment to research that influences policy and practice...
BACKGROUND
The lack of a consensus definition of neonatal sepsis and a core outcome set (COS) proves a substantial impediment to research that influences policy and practice relevant to key stakeholders, patients and parents.
METHODS
A systematic review of the literature was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. In the included studies, the described outcomes were extracted in accordance with the provisions of the Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials (COMET) handbook and registered.
RESULTS
Among 884 abstracts identified, 90 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were included in this review. Only 30 manuscripts explicitly stated the primary and/or secondary outcomes. A total of 88 distinct outcomes were recorded across all 90 studies included. These were then assigned to seven different domains in line with the taxonomy for classification proposed by the COMET initiative. The most frequently reported outcome was survival with 74% (n = 67) of the studies reporting an outcome within this domain.
CONCLUSIONS
This systematic review constitutes one of the initial phases in the protocol for developing a COS in neonatal sepsis. The paucity of standardised outcome reporting in neonatal sepsis hinders comparison and synthesis of data. The final phase will involve a Delphi Survey to generate a COS in neonatal sepsis by consensus recommendation.
IMPACT
This systematic review identified a wide variation of outcomes reported among published RCTs on the management of neonatal sepsis. The paucity of standardised outcome reporting hinders comparison and synthesis of data and future meta-analyses with conclusive recommendations on the management of neonatal sepsis are unlikely. The final phase will involve a Delphi Survey to determine a COS by consensus recommendation with input from all relevant stakeholders.
Topics: Delphi Technique; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Neonatal Sepsis; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Research Design; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 34997225
DOI: 10.1038/s41390-021-01883-y