Consensus on a Multidisciplinary Treatment Guideline for De Quervain Disease: Results From the European HANDGUIDE Study.

• ObjectiveTo achieve consensus on a multidisciplinary treatment guideline for De Quervain's disease.MethodsA European Delphi consensus strategy was initiated. A systematic review reporting on the effectiveness of surgical and non-surgical interventions was conducted and published, and used as an evidence-based starting point for this study. In total, 35 experts (hand therapists/hand surgeons selected by the national member associations of their European federations, and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation physicians) participated in the Delphi consensus strategy. Each Delphi round consisted of a questionnaire, an analysis and a feedback report.ResultsConsensus was achieved on the description, symptoms and diagnosis of De Quervain's disease. The experts agreed that patients with this disorder should always receive instructions and that these instructions should be combined with another form of treatment and should not be used as a sole treatment. Instructions combined with NSAIDs, splinting, NSAIDs plus splinting, corticosteroid injection, corticosteroid injections plus splinting, or surgery were considered suitable treatment options. Details on the use of instructions, NSAIDs, splinting, corticosteroid injections, and surgery were described. Main factors for selecting one of the above-mentioned treatment options were identified: severity and duration of the disorder, and previous treatments given. A relation between the severity and duration, and choice of therapy was indicated by the experts and reported in the guideline.ConclusionsThis multidisciplinary treatment guideline may help in the treatment of and research on De Quervain's disease.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Kirurgi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Surgery (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)