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1. 1 Implementing GRADE Experience of the
Tufts Center for Kidney Disease Guideline Development and Implementation
Tufts Medical Center, Boston MA
Guideline methodology since 2000 (18 GL)
Implementing GRADE since 2007 (6 GL)
Ethan Balk, MD MPH
Associate Director
2. 2 Evidence Review Team for KDOQI & KDIGO
Kidney guidelines
Full-time guideline & systematic review methodologists
~6 FTE
MDs, “guideline fellows”, research associates (MPH-level)
Work Group of ~15-20 international domain experts
18 month process; 3 meetings Tufts Center for Kidney Disease Guideline Development and Implementation
3. 3 Advantages compared to previous systems Formal approach, standardized steps & tables
Gets Work Group to consider may aspects of evidence as they pertain to guidelines
Overall evidence quality, consistency, applicability
Rank outcomes (clinically important outcomes)
Balance benefits and harms
Simpler descriptions of recommendation levels (1, 2) and evidence quality (A, B, C, D)
Less arbitrary, more consistent connection between level of recommendations and quality of evidence
Eliminates reinventing the wheel
4. 4 Disadvantages compared to previous Increased organizational workload
? # summary tables for specific outcomes
Evidence Profile creation resource intensive
Training Work Group in GRADE methods, Evidence Profiles complicated
Increases # of arbitrary formal decisions to maintain consistency
Study quality: (A/B/C) ? Methodological quality (0, -1, -2)
2A + 4B + 1C = -1?
2B + 2C = -1? -2?
Translating consistency ? (0, -1, -2)
Translating directness ? (0, -1, -2)
5. 5 Responses to use of GRADE Work Group likes because it sets a standard structure and seems less arbitrary simplifies decisionmaking about strength and content of recommendation focuses on clinically important outcomes But, large # of steps = ? resources, time Difficult for domain experts Some frustration about highly detailed work of filling every cell of Evidence Profile Added work load may diminish participation