Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38980530›Full record

SynthesisCardiovascular drugs and therapy2025

Methodological Quality of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Treatment Evidence-Based Guidelines: A Systematic Review Using the AGREE II and AGREE REX Tools.

Ana Paula Oliveira Vilela, Flávia Deffert, Rosa Camila Lucchetta, Yara Maria da Silva Pires, Felipe Fernando Mainka, Fernanda S Tonin, Roberto Pontarolo

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Cardiovascular drugs and therapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Ana Paula Oliveira VilelaPharmaceutical Assistance Postgraduate Program, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil.ORCID 0009-0009-5162-313X
Flávia DeffertPharmaceutical Sciences Postgraduate Program, Universidade Federal Do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0002-2188-9967
Rosa Camila LucchettaHealth Technology Assessment Unit, Oswaldo Cruz German Hospital, São Paulo, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0002-4004-1320
Yara Maria da Silva PiresPharmaceutical Sciences Postgraduate Program, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0003-1602-6566
Felipe Fernando MainkaPharmaceutical Sciences Postgraduate Program, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0002-8464-3286
Fernanda S ToninPharmaceutical Sciences Postgraduate Program, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil. fernanda.tonin@estesl.ipl.pt.ORCID 0000-0003-4262-8608
Roberto PontaroloDepartment of Pharmacy, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0002-7049-4363

Funding

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior Finance Code 001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposePulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease with a poor prognosis, and its management should be grounded in well-developed clinical practice guidelines (CPG). Thus, we critically assess the methodological quality of the available CPG for pharmacological treatments for PAH.

methodsA systematic review (CRD42023387168) was performed in PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Tripdatabase (Jan-2023). Eligible records were appraised by four reviewers using the Appraisal of Guidelines, Research, and Evaluation Collaboration tool (AGREE II) and the complementary tool for assessing recommendations' quality and certainty, AGREE REX. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data.

resultsOverall, 31 guidelines, mainly authored by professional societies (90%), targeting only physicians as primary users (84%), were identified. Guidelines presented a moderate overall quality (scores of 63% and 51% in AGREE II and AGREE REX, respectively), with a few domains showing slight improvements over the years. AGREE II "Scope and Purpose" (94%) and "Presentation Clarity" (99%) domains obtained the highest scores. The items related to "Stakeholder involvement," "Editorial independence," and "Clinical applicability" (AGREE REX) were fairly reported. Conversely, CPG lacks rigor in development (32% score, AGREE II), scarcely discusses the role of stakeholders, and provides deficient data on the implementation of recommendations (scores of 35% and 46% in AGREE II and AGREE REX, respectively). No differences in the quality of guidelines published by different developers or countries were observed (p > 0.05).

conclusionMethodological weaknesses are common among guidelines addressing PAH treatment, especially regarding scientific rigor, stakeholders' values and preferences, and facilitators and barriers to implementability. Particular attention should be given to developing future guidelines.

Indexed as

Antihypertensive AgentsArterial PressureEvidence-Based MedicinePractice Guidelines as TopicPulmonary Arterial HypertensionHumansAntihypertensive AgentsAGREE IIAGREE REXPractice guidelinePulmonary arterial hypertensionQuality assessment

Identifiers

PMID38980530
PMCPMC12717148

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.