EULAR points to consider for patient education in physical activity and self-management of pain during transitional care

Abstract

Objectives A EULAR task force was convened to develop points to consider (PtC) for patient education in physical activity and self-management of pain in young people with juvenile-onset rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases during transitional care. Methods A task force of 26 people from 10 European countries followed the EULAR Standardised Operating Procedures to establish overarching principles (OAPs) and PtC based on a literature review and expert consensus. Level of evidence (LoE), grade of recommendation (GoR) and level of agreement (LoA) were determined. Results Two OAPs and seven PtC were formulated. The OAPs highlight the importance of personalised transitional care in rheumatology, ideally based on shared decision-making and incorporate interactive education to empower young individuals in managing their physical activity and pain. The PtC emphasise the clinical importance of patient education in these areas to improve readiness to transfer from paediatric to adult care. For two PtC, the GoR was moderate (grade B), based on individual cohort study (LoE 2b). For the remaining five PtC, the GoR was weak (grade D), based on expert opinion (LoE 5). The LoA among the task force was high, ranging from 9.4 to 9.8, except for one PtC that was 8.7. Conclusion These EULAR PtC establish guidance on best practices for delivering patient education in physical activity and self-management of pain during transitional care in rheumatology. The adoption of these PtC in clinical settings is recommended to standardise and optimise transitional care across European healthcare systems. Additionally, the task force expects that these PtC will drive future research and potentially shape policies across Europe.