Quality of clinical practice guidelines approved in Peru between 2015 and 2017

Abstract

Introduction: The diagnosis and management of patients with the same medical condition may vary significantly depending on the treating physician. Clinical practice guidelines (CPG) are used to reduce this variation and to promote evidence-based management in clinical practice. Objectives: To describe the characteristics of the CPGs adopted by public health institutions in Peru from July 2015 to September 2017. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional, descriptive study. The following quality criteria were assessed in each CPG: the panel of experts responsible for the development of the CPG; protocols regarding the evidence identification, collection and assessment systems; and the level of evidence supporting each recommendation. Results: 558 CPGs were included, of which 65.8% did not provide information on having an explicit author or only listed one author. In addition, 81.5% did not have citations, nor a reference list, and 97.7% did not clearly provide supporting evidence on how the recommendations were reached. Conclusions: Most of the CPGs did not meet the quality criteria assessed in the present study, thus it is necessary to improve the skills of Peruvian health professionals to develop quality CPGs that adjust to their local context.