[International practice guidelines on the management of osteoporosis-- assessment of methodologic quality].

To a growing extent evidence-based clinical practice guidelines are considered helpful in supporting high quality medical care. Our study assessed the methodological quality of 20 clinical practice guidelines on the management of osteoporosis. Results indicated that only 2 out of 20 guidelines were developed with sufficient methodological rigour to be called evidence-based--none of them from Germany. Comparative reports including quality assessments may not only be helpful for clinicians to choose an appropriate guideline for their daily practice but also to stimulate guideline developers to use more rigorous methodology.