title: Evidence-based medicine guidelines in obstetrics/gynecology and trauma surgery.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to compare the use of evidence based medicine in the guidelines published by the American College of Obstetrician and Gynecologists (ACOG) and Trauma Surgery (Eastern Association for Trauma Surgery [East]). We compared the references and the types of recommendations in ACOG and EAST guidelines. Odds ratio (OR), along with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated and 95% CI not crossing the integer 1 were considered significant. Over eight years (1998-2005), ACOG published 58 guidelines and EAST, 23. Among the references cited, randomized clinical trials (RCT) were noted in 17% (714/4225) for ACOG versus 9% (165/1850) among trauma surgery guidelines (OR 2.07; 95% 1.74, 2.48). ACOG guidelines were also significantly more likely to have recommendations based on RCT (29%; 135/464) than EAST (10%, 24/242; OR 3.73, 95% CI 2.34, 5.94). East and ACOG guidelines have significantly fewer RCT and recommendations based on them than previously thought.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216-4505, USA. jmorrison@ob-gyn.umsmed.edu
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.forename: Everett F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Magann
authors.forename: Kari A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Paulson
authors.forename: Suneet P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Berghella
authors.forename: Danish
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Siddiqui
mesh_terms: D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000379:methods*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000379:methods*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000601:surgery*