Table 1:

Characteristics of recommendations

CharacteristicGuidelines topic and year of publicationTotal
Major depression in adults, 200815Obesity in childhood and adolescence, 200918Prostate cancer treatment, 200816Secondary prevention of stroke, 200917
Sample size, no.
Clinical questions81016943
Recommendations26293622113
SIGN strength of recommendations, no. (%)
A4 (15.4)0 (0.0)5 (13.9)9 (40.9)18 (15.9)
B8 (30.8)6 (20.7)3 (8.3)5 (22.7)22 (19.5)
C2 (7.7)3 (10.3)2 (5.6)2 (9.1)9 (8.0)
D1 (3.8)1 (3.4)11 (30.6)0 (0.0)13 (11.5)
Good practice point11 (42.3)19 (65.5)15 (41.7)6 (27.3)51 (45.1)
Clinical purpose, no. (%)
Prevention0 (0.0)25 (86.2)0 (0.0)22 (100.0)47 (41.6)
Screening3 (11.5)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)3 (2.7)
Treatment23 (88.5)0 (0.0)36 (100.0)0 (0.0)59 (52.2)
Other0 (0.0)4 (13.8)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)4 (3.5)
Turnover, no. (%)
No references4 (15.4)7 (24.1)11 (30.6)6 (27.3)28 (24.8)
Low12 (46.2)11 (37.9)13 (36.1)8 (36.4)44 (38.9)
High10 (38.5)11 (37.9)12 (33.3)8 (36.4)41 (36.3)
  • Note: SIGN = Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network.