Policy & Guidelines
New AAN Guideline on Tourette and Chronic Tics Shared at Annual Meeting Press Conference The AAN presented the new “Practice Guideline: The Treatment of Tics in People with Tourette Syndrome and Chronic Tic Disorders,” during a press conference with media covering the Annual Meeting. The press conference gave an opportunity for journalists to pose questions to lead author Tamara Pringsheim, MD, MSc, FAAN , and guideline senor author John Piacentini, PhD, ABPP. The guideline was published online in Neurology ® on May 6, 2019.
treatments for people with tics, as well as for the assessment of and counseling for these patients. There are approximately 46 recommendations in the clinician summary. Treatment decisions should be individualized to achieve the best balance for Pringsheim each patient.
Evidence reviewed by the guideline shows there is a variety of treatments available for tics. The guideline provides evidence-based recommendations on the efficacy and safety of the medical, behavioral, and neurostimulation
Choosing among the many treatment options should be done through shared decision-making between clinicians and patients. Comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics has high-quality evidence supporting its efficacy for
the treatment of tics, without major adverse effects. It should be made routinely available for individuals with Tourette syndrome. For nondisabling tics in children, watchful waiting also is appropriate. Medical interventions for tics are available but should be periodically reassessed because of the high rate of natural remission of tics in late adolescence. Visit AAN.com to read the guideline and access summaries for clinicians and families/caregivers and a slide presentation set. For more information, email guidelines@aan.com or call (612) 928-6069.
Members Acknowledged for Work on AAN Guidelines Recently, the Guideline Development, Dissemination, and Implementation Subcommittee (GDDI) honored four subcommittee members for their outstanding work and contributions to the AAN’s guidelines program. The GDDI oversees the development and dissemination of systematic reviews and evidence-based guidelines to assist members in clinical decision-making. The members cited were: Gary S. Gronseth, MD, FAAN John J. Halperin, MD, FAAN Maryam Oskoui, MD, MSc, FAAN, FRCPC Gronseth
Halperin
Oskoui
Narayanaswami
Pushpa Narayanaswami, MBBS, MD, FAAN
AANnews • June 2019 11