Ottawa Panel evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for patient education in the management of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Background and purpose: The objective of this article is to create guidelines for education interventions in the management of patients (>18 years old) with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: The Ottawa Methods Group identified and synthesized evidence from comparative controlled trials using Cochrane Collaboration methods. The group then formed an expert panel, which developed a set of criteria for grading the strength of the evidence and the recommendation. Patient-important outcomes were determined through consensus, provided that these outcomes were assessed with validated and reliable scales. Results: Sixty-four positive recommendations of clinical benefit (35 of A level and 29 of C+ level) were developed for patient education in RA. Discussion and conclusion: For the management of rheumatoid arthritis, the use of patient education is recommended by the Ottawa Panel.