The guidelines contained in this publication have mostly been published in the British Journal of Dermatology
within the last 10 years, and are all available online from the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) website www.bad.org.uk. In preparing this compendium of the guidelines, the editors have been aware of three main factors.
Firstly, many of the guidelines have now been updated since they were first published. Most of the updates have given greater prominence to therapeutics, especially with regard to newer approaches, and to areas of controversy. By comparison, the initial versions generally 'set the scene' and contained more text about epidemiology and older treatments than in the updated versions. Therefore, many of these earlier versions still have value as review material, and we felt that references to these should be included.
Secondly, the whole process of assimilating, assessing and extrapolating evidence to be applied in clinical settings has been a rapidly changing field. Although there is now a preferred style of citation of evidence and recommendations for BAD guidelines, the style differs somewhat between guidelines. This, in part, reflects styles in use at the time of writing as well as pragmatic issues such as ease of updating and of collaborating with other specialists to produce multidisciplinary guidelines. Additionally, some of the guidelines were produced as consensus documents (British Photodermatology Group) and have a different style.
Thirdly, no evidence is ever perfect, multiply replicated and applicable in all scenarios. Even with good evidence, the strength of a recommendation may vary between individuals who have assessed that evidence. External factors such as different healthcare systems or edicts by government bodies may influence recommendations. Newly emerging evidence needs to be put in context, and some evidence may create as many questions as it answers. Therefore, we have added some editorial comments about each guideline, and some details of recent evidence and of other guidelines and reviews, mostly by use of web
addresses.
Finally, guidelines need to be useful. The BAD guidelines are written primarily for dermatologists and other specialists. They have been produced in summary format, capable of being copied and laminated for quick reference. They have also included other tools for the user, such as some suggested audit points. For this compendium, the editors have tried to extend this usefulness by adding guidelines that may be more applicable to primary care users (e.g. Clinical Knowledge Summaries (CKS) and reference material from the New Zealand DermNet). Some guidance have been also included sfrom bodies such as the UK National Health Service (NHS) and the UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), as well as material from other national dermatology bodies (such as the American Academy of Dermatology) and a variety of cancer organisations. Each topic have also been supplemented, where applicable, with patient information resources that provide Patient Information Leaflets (PILs) or web-based information about specific conditions, prevention of disease, or about treatments.
Thus, for each guideline, in addition to reproducing the published version, a web address have been included for the guideline, some editorial comment, selected additional guidelines or other references for users, web details of the BAD's own PIL and details of additional patient orientated sources of information.
These measures will increase the utility of the guidelines beyond the original presentation.
Contents
- A tribute to Professor Neil H. Cox
- Introduction
- Preface
- Background to the British Association of Dermatologists clinical guidelines
- Writing a British Association of Dermatologists clinical guideline: an update on the process and guidance for authors
- Guideline topics
- Alopecia areata
- Bullous pemphigoid
- Contact dermatitis
- Lichen sclerosus
- Pemphigus vulgaris
- Urticaria
- Vitiligo
- Cutaneous warts
- Onychomycosis
- Tinea capitis
- Actinic keratoses
- Basal cell carcinoma
- Bowen's disease
- Squamous cell carcinoma
- Melanoma
- Cutaneous T cell Lymphomas
- Acitretin
- Azathioprine
- Biological agents in psoriasis
- Isotretinoin in acne
- Ultraviolet radiation (dosimetry and calibration)
- Topical PUVA
- Topical photodynamic therapy
Book Review
"People enjoy access to information through many routes and it seemed to me that a compilation of the guidelines in a book would make the information available in another useful format.
The hard work of Neil Cox, in particular, along with John English has brought this to fruition. Reading it now, it seems not only a source for knowledge about the management of and therapies used in skin conditions but also an illustration of the evolution of the guidelines process over the last decade; a process in which Neil Cox was intimately involved.
Sadly, as Neil's last work it has also become a tribute to his memory.
I hope you find the book enjoyable and informative."
By Dr Colin Holden BSc, MD, FRCP, Past President of British Association of Dermatologists.
Product Details
- Hardcover: 344 pages
- Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell; 1 edition (April 26, 2011)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1444335529
- ISBN-13: 978-1444335521
- Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 0.9 x 10 inches
List Price: $99.95