Guidelines | British Society for Rheumatology

Overview

BSR's 'gold standard' clinical guidelines support evidence-based clinical practice in rheumatology.

Our guidelines grow out of the collaborative efforts of many members and non-members, specialists and generalists, patients and carers.

Firmly embedded in clinical practice – users lead the proposal, selection and development of all guideline topics – we choose new areas, areas where there is clinical uncertainty, where mortality or morbidity can be reduced.

All guidelines are published in Rheumatology under an ‘open access’ licence.

NICE accredits our clinical guideline process; this is valid until February 2023

Current guidelines

Polymyalgia rheumatica

Guideline for the management of polymyalgia rheumatica. The 2009 guideline remains current. It is substantially the same as the 2015 EULAR/ACR guideline 'Recommendations for the Management of Polymyalgia Rheumatica'. Currently being considered for revision.

Executive summary

Full guideline

Hot swollen joint

Guideline for management of hot swollen joint in adults. Currently being considered for revision.

Executive summary

Full guideline

Hot Joint guideline update

Systemic sclerosis

Guideline for the treatment of systemic sclerosis. 2016 NICE-accredited. Currently being considered for revision.

Executive summary

Full guideline

Audit (See page 10 of the full GL for guidance on audit)

Podcast

Axial spondyloarthritis

Guideline for the treatment of axial spondyloarthritis (including ankylosing spondylitis) with biologics. 2016 NICE-accredited. Currently being considered for revision.

DMARDs

Guideline for the prescription and monitoring of non-biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. 2017 NICE-accredited. Currently being considered for revision.

Gout

Guideline for the management of gout. 2017 NICE-accredited. Currently being considered for revision.

Lupus

Guideline for the management of adults with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. 2017 NICE-accredited. Currently being considered for revision.

Biological DMARD safety

Guideline for the safe prescribing of biologics in adults with inflammatory arthritis. Revision due 2022.

Executive summary

Full guideline

Giant cell arteritis

Guideline on the management of patients with giant cell arteritis. Revision due 2023.

Executive summary

Guideline

Audit tool

Guidelines in development

Paediatric, adolescent and adult patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (myositis)

Management of paediatric, adolescent and adult patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (myositis).

The draft guideline is open for public consultation until 5pm on 23 December 2021. Please send any comments via the form below to guidelines@rheumatology.org.uk.

Draft guideline

Consultation form

Foot health in inflammatory arthritis

Management of foot health in patients with inflammatory arthritis

Guidelines under revision

ANCA-associated vasculitis

Guideline for the management of adults with ANCA-associated vasculitis. In revision.

Executive summary

Full guideline and suggestions for audit

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Part 2

Guideline on prescribing drugs in pregnancy and breastfeeding Part 2: analgesics and drugs used in rheumatology practice. 2016 NICE-accredited. In revision.

2016 guideline

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Part 1

Guideline on prescribing drugs in pregnancy and breastfeeding Part 1: standard and biologic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and corticosteroids. 2016 NICE-accredited. In revision.

2016 guideline

Sjögren’s Syndrome

Guideline for the management of adults with Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome. 2017 NICE-accredited. In revision.

2017 guideline

PsA with biologics/DMARDs

Guideline for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis with biologics and targeted synthetic DMARDs. In revision.

2013 guideline

Implementing guidelines

We want to hear your experiences of using the guidelines to help us spot patterns, create case studies and find solutions to problems.

How has care in your unit improved through implementation? What clinical issues have you resolved by using a guideline? Are you or your unit having problems implementing any part of the guidelines?

If there is anything else you would like to share with us about planning, creating, auditing or using the guidelines, please email guidelines@rheumatology.org.uk.