Objective

2

To systematically evaluate the methodological quality of the guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic kidney diseases in traditional Chinese medicine/integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine

so as to provide a basis for further update and promotion of the guidelines.

Methods

2

Systematical search was performed of the traditional Chinese medicine/integrated Chinese and Western medicine guidelines for chronic kidney diseases diagnosis and treatment published by Chinese journals. The information about their characteristics were extracted and summarized. Then AGREE Ⅱ was used in independent quality evaluations in six aspects including clarity of expression

scope and purpose

participants

rigor

editorial independence

and applicability. The scoring results are analyzed in layers based on the year of their publication

institution

development method

and whether they are funded or not

and are horizontally compared with the published AGREE Ⅱ evaluation results of guidelines for other diseases at home and abroad.

Results

2

A total of 19 guidelines were included

of which: 2 guidelines for traditional Chinese medicine

17 guidelines for integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine

covering diseases such as chronic renal failure and IgA nephropathy; 16 were formulated by academic societies

and 1 was an updated and revised version

4 were formulated using evidence-based medicine methods

and 8 guidelines received research funding; the guidelines were issued from 2008 to 2020

and 3 were formulated within the past 5 years. In the overall AGREE Ⅱ score

the clarity of expression (52.63%)

scope and purpose (42.4%) scored higher

followed by the score of participants (24.27%). Rigor (19.19%)

editorial independence (18.42%)

and applicability (7.24%) scores were very low

and 5 guidelines (26.31%) were "recommended for use" by the evaluators; In the stratified analysis

it was found that the AGREE Ⅱ scores of the three types of guides were relatively high: recently developed guidelines

those which used evidence-based medicine method and those funded by scientific research funds; The AGREE II scores of TCM/Integrated medicine guidelines in the field of chronic kidney diseases in China and in the cardiovascular field are equivalent

but the results are quite different with the AGREE II evaluation of international guidelines.

Conclusion

2

The AGREE Ⅱ score of the guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic kidney diseases in traditional Chinese medicine/integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine is generally low

and more attention should be paid to evidence-based methodological principles

especially in terms of the staff

the rigor of technical processes

conflicts of interest

and applicability.