HOW TO RECOGNIZE A TRUSTWORTHY CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINE

João Pedro Lima, Reza D. Mirza, Gordon H. Guyatt

Trustworthy clinical practice guidelines are essential for summarizing relevant evidence and guiding clinicians in making optimal decisions. The authors present six critical questions that clinicians should consider when assessing the reliability of a guideline. These questions focus on clarity of recommendations, consideration of alternatives and patient-important outcomes, the basis of recommendations on systematic reviews, the strength of recommendations relative to evidence certainty, and the management of potential conflicts of interest. Understanding these aspects is crucial for clinicians to apply trustworthy guidelines effectively in their practice.