Clinical Practice Guidelines
Clinical practice guidelines are evidence-based recommendations developed to assist healthcare professionals in making informed decisions about patient care. These guidelines are developed using rigorous methods and are based on the best available evidence to date. They are designed to optimize patient care by providing guidance on diagnosis, treatment, and management of specific conditions.
VASCERN and its Rare Diseases Working Groups follow (and have generated) existing (national and international) guidelines. The guidelines reflect the latest scientific evidence and are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure they remain up-to-date.
VASCERN Action Plan includes the selection and development of new guidelines and expert consensus statements, in cooperation with the Patient Representative Group (ePAG).
Developed by the task force on the management of peripheral arterial and aortic diseases of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Endorsed by the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS), the European Reference Network on Rare Multisystemic Vascular Diseases (VASCERN), and the European Society of Vascular Medicine (ESVM).
Lucia Mazzolai, Gisela Teixido-Tura, Stefano Lanzi, Vinko Boc, Eduardo Bossone, Marianne Brodmann, Alessandra Bura-Rivière, Julie De Backer, Sebastien Deglise, Alessandro Della Corte, Christian Heiss, Marta Kałużna-Oleksy, Donata Kurpas, Carmel M McEniery, Tristan Mirault, Agnes A Pasquet, Alex Pitcher, Hannah A I Schaubroeck, Oliver Schlager, Per Anton Sirnes, Muriel G Sprynger, Eugenio Stabile, Françoise Steinbach, Matthias Thielmann, Roland R J van Kimmenade, Maarit Venermo, Jose F Rodriguez-Palomares, ESC Scientific Document Group.
Wanga S, Silversides C, Dore A, de Waard V, Mulder B. Pregnancy and Thoracic Aortic Disease: Managing the Risks. Can J Cardiol. 2016 Jan;32(1):78-85. doi: 10.1016/j.cjca.2015.09.003. Epub 2015 Sep 18. PMID: 26604124.
Regitz-Zagrosek V, Roos-Hesselink JW, Bauersachs J, Blomström-Lundqvist C, Cífková R, De Bonis M, Iung B, Johnson MR, Kintscher U, Kranke P, Lang IM, Morais J, Pieper PG, Presbitero P, Price S, Rosano GMC, Seeland U, Simoncini T, Swan L, Warnes CA; ESC Scientific Document Group. 2018 ESC Guidelines for the management of cardiovascular diseases during pregnancy. Eur Heart J. 2018 Sep 7;39(34):3165-3241. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehy340. PMID: 30165544.
Renard M, Francis C, Ghosh R, Scott AF, Witmer PD, Adès LC, Andelfinger GU, Arnaud P, Boileau C, Callewaert BL, Guo D, Hanna N, Lindsay ME, Morisaki H, Morisaki T, Pachter N, Robert L, Van Laer L, Dietz HC, Loeys BL, Milewicz DM, De Backer J. Clinical Validity of Genes for Heritable Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm and Dissection. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2018 Aug 7;72(6):605-615. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2018.04.089. PMID: 30071989; PMCID: PMC6378369.
Arslan-Kirchner M, Arbustini E, Boileau C, Charron P, Child AH, Collod-Beroud G, De Backer J, De Paepe A, Dierking A, Faivre L, Hoffjan S, Jondeau G, Keyser B, Loeys B, Mayer K, Robinson PN, Schmidtke J. Clinical utility gene card for: Hereditary thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection including next-generation sequencing-based approaches. Eur J Hum Genet. 2016 Jan;24(1):e1-5. doi: 10.1038/ejhg.2015.225. Epub 2015 Oct 28. PMID: 26508578; PMCID: PMC4795237.
Loeys BL, Dietz HC, Braverman AC, Callewaert BL, De Backer J, Devereux RB, Hilhorst-Hofstee Y, Jondeau G, Faivre L, Milewicz DM, Pyeritz RE, Sponseller PD, Wordsworth P, De Paepe AM. The revised Ghent nosology for the Marfan syndrome. J Med Genet. 2010 Jul;47(7):476-85. doi: 10.1136/jmg.2009.072785. PMID: 20591885.
Hiratzka LF, Bakris GL, Beckman JA, Bersin RM, Carr VF, Casey DE Jr, Eagle KA, Hermann LK, Isselbacher EM, Kazerooni EA, Kouchoukos NT, Lytle BW, Milewicz DM, Reich DL, Sen S, Shinn JA, Svensson LG, Williams DM; American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines; American Association for Thoracic Surgery; American College of Radiology; American Stroke Association; Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists; Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions; Society of Interventional Radiology; Society of Thoracic Surgeons; Society for Vascular Medicine. 2010 ACCF/AHA/AATS/ACR/ASA/SCA/SCAI/SIR/STS/SVM guidelines for the diagnosis and management of patients with Thoracic Aortic Disease: a report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines, American Association for Thoracic Surgery, American College of Radiology, American Stroke Association, Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, Society of Interventional Radiology, Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and Society for Vascular Medicine. Circulation. 2010 Apr 6;121(13):e266-369. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0b013e3181d4739e. Epub 2010 Mar 16. Erratum in: Circulation. 2010 Jul 27;122(4):e410. PMID: 20233780.
Evangelista A, Flachskampf FA, Erbel R, Antonini-Canterin F, Vlachopoulos C, Rocchi G, Sicari R, Nihoyannopoulos P, Zamorano J; European Association of Echocardiography; Document Reviewers:; Pepi M, Breithardt OA, Plonska-Gosciniak E. Echocardiography in aortic diseases: EAE recommendations for clinical practice. Eur J Echocardiogr. 2010 Sep;11(8):645-58. doi: 10.1093/ejechocard/jeq056. Erratum in: Eur J Echocardiogr. 2011 Aug;12(8):642. PMID: 20823280.
Grabenwöger M, Alfonso F, Bachet J, Bonser R, Czerny M, Eggebrecht H, Evangelista A, Fattori R, Jakob H, Lönn L, Nienaber CA, Rocchi G, Rousseau H, Thompson M, Weigang E, Erbel R. Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair (TEVAR) for the treatment of aortic diseases: a position statement from the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), in collaboration with the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI). Eur Heart J. 2012 Jul;33(13):1558-63. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehs074. Epub 2012 May 4. PMID: 22561257.
Erbel R, Aboyans V, Boileau C, Bossone E, Bartolomeo RD, Eggebrecht H, Evangelista A, Falk V, Frank H, Gaemperli O, Grabenwöger M, Haverich A, Iung B, Manolis AJ, Meijboom F, Nienaber CA, Roffi M, Rousseau H, Sechtem U, Sirnes PA, Allmen RS, Vrints CJ; ESC Committee for Practice Guidelines. 2014 ESC Guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of aortic diseases: Document covering acute and chronic aortic diseases of the thoracic and abdominal aorta of the adult. The Task Force for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Aortic Diseases of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Eur Heart J. 2014 Nov 1;35(41):2873-926. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehu281. Epub 2014 Aug 29. Erratum in: Eur Heart J. 2015 Nov 1;36(41):2779. PMID: 25173340.
Goldstein SA, Evangelista A, Abbara S, Arai A, Asch FM, Badano LP, Bolen MA, Connolly HM, Cuéllar-Calàbria H, Czerny M, Devereux RB, Erbel RA, Fattori R, Isselbacher EM, Lindsay JM, McCulloch M, Michelena HI, Nienaber CA, Oh JK, Pepi M, Taylor AJ, Weinsaft JW, Zamorano JL, Dietz H, Eagle K, Elefteriades J, Jondeau G, Rousseau H, Schepens M. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2015 Feb;28(2):119-82. doi: 10.1016/j.echo.2014.11.015. PMID: 25623219.
Baumgartner H, Falk V, Bax JJ, De Bonis M, Hamm C, Holm PJ, Iung B, Lancellotti P, Lansac E, Rodriguez Muñoz D, Rosenhek R, Sjögren J, Tornos Mas P, Vahanian A, Walther T, Wendler O, Windecker S, Zamorano JL; ESC Scientific Document Group.Eur Heart J. 2017 Sep 21;38(36):2739-2791. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehx391.PMID: 28886619
Baumgartner H, De Backer J, Babu-Narayan SV, Budts W, Chessa M, Diller GP, Lung B, Kluin J, Lang IM, Meijboom F, Moons P, Mulder BJM, Oechslin E, Roos-Hesselink JW, Schwerzmann M, Sondergaard L, Zeppenfeld K; ESC Scientific Document Group.Eur Heart J. 2020 Aug 29:ehaa554. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehaa554. Online ahead of print.PMID: 32860028
Damstra RJ, Halk AB; Dutch Working Group on Lymphedema. The Dutch lymphedema guidelines based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health and the chronic care model. J Vasc Surg Venous Lymphat Disord. 2017 Sep;5(5):756-765. doi: 10.1016/j.jvsv.2017.04.012. Epub 2017 Jun 30. PMID: 28818234.
Elajmi A, Clapuyt P, Hammer F, Bataille AC, Lengele B, Boon LM. Prise en charge des anomalies vasculaires chez l’enfant [Management of vascular anomalies in children]. Ann Chir Plast Esthet. 2016 Oct;61(5):480-497. French. doi: 10.1016/j.anplas.2016.06.015. Epub 2016 Sep 15. PMID: 27641115.
Stillo F, Mattassi R, Diociaiuti A, Neri I, Baraldini V, Dalmonte P, Amato B, Ametrano O, Amico G, Bianchini G, Campisi C, Cattaneo E, Causin F, Cavalli R, Colletti G, Corbeddu M, Coppo P, DE Fiores A, DI Giuseppe P, El Hachem M, Esposito F, Fulcheri E, Gandolfo C, Grussu F, Guglielmo A, Leuzzi M, Manunza F, Moneghini L, Monzani N, Nicodemi E, Occella C, Orso M, Pagella F, Paolantonio G, Pasetti F, Rollo M, Ruggiero F, Santecchia L, Spaccini L, Taurino M, Vaghi M, Vercellio G, Zama M, Zocca A, Aguglia M, Castronovo EL, DE Lorenzi E, Fontana E, Gusson E, Lanza J, Lizzio R, Mancardi MM, Rosina E. Guidelines for Vascular Anomalies by the Italian Society for the study of Vascular Anomalies (SISAV). Int Angiol. 2022 Apr;41(2 Suppl 1):1-130. doi: 10.23736/S0392-9590.22.04902-1. PMID: 35546136.
Wassef M, Blei F, Adams D, Alomari A, Baselga E, Berenstein A, Burrows P, Frieden IJ, Garzon MC, Lopez-Gutierrez JC, Lord DJ, Mitchel S, Powell J, Prendiville J, Vikkula M; ISSVA Board and Scientific Committee. Vascular Anomalies Classification: Recommendations From the International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies. Pediatrics. 2015 Jul;136(1):e203-14. doi: 10.1542/peds.2014-3673. Epub 2015 Jun 8. Review.
The Children’s Lymphoedema Special Interest Group (CLSIG) has produced a Children’s Charter.
Supporting documents and clinic information are available here
The Children’s Lymphoedema Special Interest Group (CLSIG) has produced a Children’s Charter.
Supporting documents and clinic information are available here
The Children’s Lymphoedema Special Interest Group (CLSIG) has produced a Children’s Charter.
Supporting documents and clinic information are available here
The Children’s Lymphoedema Special Interest Group (CLSIG) has produced a Children’s Charter.
Supporting documents and clinic information are available here
German guidline “Diagnostis and therapy of lymphedema“: Jörg Wilting, Rolf Bartkowski, Rüdiger Baumeister, Etelka Földi, Susanna Stöhr, Gerson Strubel, Klaus Schrader, Jürg Traber, May 2017
Report of German Guidelines with all the collaborating members from Germany, Austria and Switzerland
German guideline “Diagnostics and therapy of lymphedema“: Jörg Wilting, Rolf Bartkowski, Rüdiger Baumeister, Etelka Földi, Susanna Stöhr, Gerson Strubel, Klaus Schrader, Jürg Traber, May 2017
Chetty SP, Shaffer BL, Norton ME. Management of pregnancy in women with genetic disorders, Part 1: Disorders of the connective tissue, muscle, vascular, and skeletal systems.Obstet Gynecol Surv. 2011 Nov;66(11):699-709. Review
Malfait F, Castori M, Francomano CA, Giunta C, Kosho T, Byers PH. The Ehlers-Danlos syndromes. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2020 Jul 30;6(1):64. doi: 10.1038/s41572-020-0194-9. PMID: 32732924.
Diagnosis, natural history, and management in vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Byers PH, Belmont J, Black J, De Backer J, Frank M, Jeunemaitre X, Johnson D, Pepin M, Robert L, Sanders L, Wheeldon N. Am J Med Genet C Semin Med Genet. 2017 Mar;175(1):40-47. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31553. Review. PMID: 28306228
Benchellal ZA, Huten N, Danquechin Dorval E, Podeur L, Rahili A, Lemeret S, De Muret A. Abdominal emergencies in type IV ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Gastroenterol Clin Biol. 1998 Mar;22(3):343-5. French
Wiesmann T, Castori M, Malfait F, Wulf H. Recommendations for anesthesia and perioperative management in patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome(s). Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2014 Jul 23;9:109. doi: 10.1186/s13023-014-0109-5. Review
Boodhwani M, Andelfinger G, Leipsic J, Lindsay T, McMurtry MS, Therrien J, Siu SC; Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Canadian Cardiovascular Society position statement on the management of thoracic aortic disease. Can J Cardiol. 2014 Jun;30(6):577-89.
Sobey G. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome: how to diagnose and when to perform genetic tests. Arch Dis Child. 2015 Jan;100(1):57-61
Bergqvist D, Björck M, Wanhainen A. Treatment of vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome: a systematic review. Ann Surg. 2013 Aug;258(2):257-61. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0b013e31829c7a59. Review
Bersano A, Khan N, Fuentes B, Acerbi F, Canavero I, Tournier-Lasserve E, Vajcoczy P, Zedde ML, Hussain S, Lémeret S, Kraemer M, Herve D. European Stroke Organisation (ESO) Guidelines on Moyamoya angiopathy Endorsed by Vascular European Reference Network (VASCERN). Eur Stroke J. 2023 Mar;8(1):55-84. doi: 10.1177/23969873221144089. Epub 2023 Feb 2. PMID: 37021176; PMCID: PMC10069176.
Faughnan ME, Mager JJ, Hetts SW, Palda VA, Lang-Robertson K, Buscarini E, Deslandres E, Kasthuri RS, Lausman A, Poetker D, Ratjen F, Chesnutt MS, Clancy M, Whitehead KJ, Al-Samkari H, Chakinala M, Conrad M, Cortes D, Crocione C, Darling J, de Gussem E, Derksen C, Dupuis-Girod S, Foy P, Geisthoff U, Gossage JR, Hammill A, Heimdal K, Henderson K, Iyer VN, Kjeldsen AD, Komiyama M, Korenblatt K, McDonald J, McMahon J, McWilliams J, Meek ME, Mei-Zahav M, Olitsky S, Palmer S, Pantalone R, Piccirillo JF, Plahn B, Porteous MEM, Post MC, Radovanovic I, Rochon PJ, Rodriguez-Lopez J, Sabba C, Serra M, Shovlin C, Sprecher D, White AJ, Winship I, Zarrabeitia R. Second International Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia. Ann Intern Med. 2020 Dec 15;173(12):989-1001. doi: 10.7326/M20-1443. Epub 2020 Sep 8. PMID: 32894695.
Gordon K, Varney R, Keeley V, Riches K, Jeffery S, Van Zanten M, Mortimer P, Ostergaard P, Mansour S. Update and audit of the St George’s classification algorithm of primary lymphatic anomalies: a clinical and molecular approach to diagnosis. J Med Genet. 2020 Oct;57(10):653-659. doi: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2019-106084. Epub 2020 May 14. PMID: 32409509; PMCID: PMC7525776.
European Association for the Study of the Liver. Electronic address: easloffice@easloffice.eu. EASL Clinical Practice Guidelines: Vascular diseases of the liver. J Hepatol. 2016 Jan;64(1):179-202. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2015.07.040. Epub 2015 Oct 26. PMID: 26516032.
Faughnan ME, Palda VA, Garcia-Tsao G, Geisthoff UW, McDonald J, Proctor DD, Spears J, Brown DH, Buscarini E, Chesnutt MS, Cottin V, Ganguly A, Gossage JR, Guttmacher AE, Hyland RH, Kennedy SJ, Korzenik J, Mager JJ, Ozanne AP, Piccirillo JF, Picus D, Plauchu H, Porteous ME, Pyeritz RE, Ross DA, Sabba C, Swanson K, Terry P, Wallace MC, Westermann CJ, White RI, Young LH, Zarrabeitia R; HHT Foundation International – Guidelines Working Group. International guidelines for the diagnosis and management of hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia. J Med Genet. 2011 Feb;48(2):73-87. doi: 10.1136/jmg.2009.069013. Epub 2009 Jun 23. PMID: 19553198.
Shovlin CL, Guttmacher AE, Buscarini E, Faughnan ME, Hyland RH, Westermann CJ, Kjeldsen AD, Plauchu H. Diagnostic criteria for hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (Rendu-Osler-Weber syndrome). Am J Med Genet. 2000 Mar 6;91(1):66-7. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1096-8628(20000306)91:1<66::aid-ajmg12>3.0.co;2-p. PMID: 10751092.