Abstract
Background: Despite availability of reliable guidelines development methods, the risk of producing less reliable documents may be higher when the guidelines are developed rapidly.
Methods: We performed the search for guidelines, published before the results of any randomized controlled trials of COVID-19 treatment were available. The quality of the guidelines was assessed using the AGREE II-Global Rating Scale Instrument and series of dichotomous criteria based on the domain 3 of the AGREE II tool. We analyzed variables associated with the presence of recommendations for antiviral therapy for SARS-CoV-2.
Results: The analysis included 40 publications. The median of quality of documents assessed with the AGREE II-GRS tool (overall quality assessment on a scale ranging from 1-7) was 2.0 (IQR 1.5–2.5). Most documents did not fulfill the rigour of guideline development quality criteria. Overall, 62.5% of documents provided recommendations for the use of antiviral medications despite apparent lack of sufficient evidence supporting such treatments. Documents that contained recommendations supporting antiviral drug use tended to be of lower quality than those without such recommendations. Of the included documents, 75% were not updated within the 2 months after the publication of the first randomized controlled trial on COVID-19 antiviral therapy.
Conclusions: Most guidelines or guidance documents published during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic were of poor quality, contained recommendations for the use of antiviral therapy for SARS-CoV-2 infection despite only very low
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2021; 58: Suppl. 65, PA511.
This abstract was presented at the 2021 ERS International Congress, in session “Prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD”.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2021