Clinical Guidance
AvoMD Integrates AACE Clinical Guidance Documents
Bone and Parathyroid
Diabetes
Clinical Practice Guidelines
AvoMD, a software platform that brings clinical evidence into the workflow to help clinicians streamline decisions and save time, has partnered with AACE to integrate clinical guidance documents into the AvoMD platform. This partnership provides endocrinologists, primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants/physician associates, and dietitians with seamless access to evidence-based endocrinology recommendations at the point-of-care.
2023 Protocol for Development of AACE Clinical Guidance
Protocol for Development
AACE strives to deliver trustworthy, unbiased, and up-to-date information that ensures clinician and patient confidence in AACE content. AACE reviewed its guidance document development processes against the National Academy of Medicine Standards for Trustworthy Guidelines and the Council of Medical Specialty Societies Principles for Development of Specialty Society Clinical Guidelines to determine areas for improvement. The 2023 updated protocol for development of clinical guidance documents summarizes changes to AACE’s methodology, processes, and policies.
2023 AACE Consensus Statement: Comprehensive Type 2 Diabetes Management Algorithm
Diabetes
Algorithms
Consensus Statements
Podcasts
This algorithm provides concise visual guidance in the form of algorithms to assist with clinical decision-making for the management of persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus and related comorbidities.
2023 AACE Consensus Statement: Addressing Stigma and Bias in the Diagnosis and Management of Patients with Obesity/Adiposity-Based Chronic Disease and Assessing Bias and Stigmatization as Determinants of Disease Severity
Nutrition and Obesity
Consensus Statements
Podcasts
This new consensus statement summarizes important areas of agreement around the topics of obesity stigma and weight bias from the perspectives of the individual, clinicians, and the healthcare system following the May 2022 AACE Consensus Conference on improving obesity outcomes.
2022 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Primary Care and Endocrinology Clinical Settings
Cardiometabolic and Lipids
Algorithms
Clinical Practice Guidelines
Co-sponsored Clinical Guidance
Podcasts
This guideline provides evidence-based recommendations regarding the diagnosis and management of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) to endocrinologists, primary care clinicians, health care professionals, and other stakeholders.
2022 Consensus Statement on Minimally Invasive Procedures for Benign and Malignant Thyroid Lesions
Thyroid
Consensus Statements
This consensus statement provides information on novel minimally invasive therapeutic interventions for thyroid malignancies such as percutaneous ethanol injection and thermal ablation. The statement summarizes existing knowledge and provides guidance on indications, techniques, complications, and follow-ups for care of patients with benign and malignant thyroid lesions.
2022 Consensus Statement on Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Mediated Endocrinopathies
Pituitary, Gonad, Adrenal and Neuroendocrine
Consensus Statements
This consensus statement provides a practical approach for management of patients with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-mediated endocrinopathies with case scenarios of various clinical manifestations and highlights the role of the endocrinology team in the multidisciplinary management of ICI-induced endocrinopathies. The statement summarizes the use of ICI (anti-CTLA-4, anti-PD1, and anti-PD-L1) therapies; reviews the clinical presentation of ICI-related endocrinopathies; and discusses the diagnosis and management approaches to endocrinopathies related to ICI therapy.
2022 Clinical Practice Guideline for Development of a Diabetes Mellitus Comprehensive Care Plan
Diabetes
Clinical Practice Guidelines
Podcasts
This updated guideline provides recommendations for the care and management of people with or at risk for diabetes mellitus at every stage, including prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
2021 Consensus Statement on Thyroid Nodule Algorithmic Tool
Thyroid
Algorithms
Co-sponsored Clinical Guidance
Consensus Statements
This consensus statement describes the Thyroid Nodule App (termed TNAPP), a novel interactive web-based tool that uses clinical, imaging, cytologic, and molecular marker data to guide clinical decision making to evaluate and manage thyroid nodules.
2021 Consensus Statement on Pediatric Benign and Malignant Thyroid Surgery
Thyroid
Co-sponsored Clinical Guidance
Consensus Statements
This consensus statement outlines expert opinion and practical information on the evaluation of thyroid nodules, surgical considerations, and postoperative monitoring for children and adolescents with benign and malignant thyroid lesions.
2021 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Use of Advanced Technology in the Management of Persons with Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes
Clinical Practice Guidelines
Podcasts
Advanced diabetes technology can potentially assist persons with diabetes to achieve glycemic targets, improve quality of life, reduce burden of care, offer a personalized approach to self-management, and improve the efficiency of clinical decision-making, among other benefits. This guideline provides recommendations on the efficacy and safety of advanced diabetes technology devices for management of persons with diabetes mellitus, metrics used to aide with the assessment of advanced diabetes technology, and standards for implementation of this technology.
2020 Consensus Statement on the Evaluation and Management of Adrenocortical Carcinoma in an Adult: a Practical Approach
Pituitary, Gonad, Adrenal and Neuroendocrine
Consensus Statements
This consensus statement provides a practical approach to management of patients with newly diagnosed adrenocortical carcinoma, as well as follow-up and management of patients with persistent or recurrent disease, including the management of an adrenal mass, presurgical evaluation, surgical approach, pathologic assessment, and other therapeutic modalities, based on individual patient presentation.
2020 Algorithm for Comprehensive Management of Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes
Algorithms
Consensus Statements
The 2020 algorithm for management of persons with type 2 diabetes includes sections on lifestyle therapy, a complications-centric model for care of persons with overweight/obesity, prediabetes, management of hypertension and dyslipidemia (risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease), glucose control with medications, insulin therapy, and a chart summarizing the attributes of each antihyperglycemic class approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration through December 2019.
**An updated algorithm is coming in May 2023**
2020 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
Bone and Parathyroid
Algorithms
Clinical Practice Guidelines
Podcasts
This guideline provides recommendations to reduce a person's risk of osteoporosis-related fractures and to evaluate, diagnose, and treat osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, based on fracture presence, assessment of fracture risk/probability, measurement of bone mineral density or bone mass, and a patient’s history, among other factors.
2020 Position Statement on Off-Label Use and Misuse of Testosterone, Growth Hormone, Thyroid Hormone, and Adrenal Supplements: Risks and Costs of a Growing Problem
Pituitary, Gonad, Adrenal and Neuroendocrine
Position Statements
This position statement raises awareness about the risks of off-label use and misuse of testosterone, growth hormone, thyroid hormone, and adrenal supplements. This statement distinguishes off-label hormone use from legitimate use for diagnoses such as male hypogonadism, growth hormone deficiency, hypothyroidism, and adrenal insufficiency.
2020 Algorithm on the Management of Dyslipidemia and Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiometabolic and Lipids
Algorithms
Consensus Statements
This algorithm for the comprehensive management of dyslipidemia and prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) complements the 2017 AACE Guideline for Management of Dyslipidemia and Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and provides clinicians with a practical guide that considers the whole patient, their spectrum of risks and complications, and evidence-based approaches to treatment.
2019 Clinical Practice Guideline for Management of Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adults and Patients Transitioning from Pediatric to Adult Care
Pituitary, Gonad, Adrenal and Neuroendocrine
Clinical Practice Guidelines
Podcasts
This guideline provides recommendations on identification, screening, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of a range of individuals with various causes of adult growth-hormone deficiency (GHD) and patients with childhood-onset GHD transitioning to adult care. The guideline summarizes current knowledge about the accuracy of available GH–stimulation tests, safety of recombinant human GH (rhGH) replacement, unapproved uses of rhGH related to sports and aging, and new developments such as long-acting GH preparations that use a variety of technologies to prolong GH action.
2019 Position Statement on Transcultural Diabetes Care in the United States
Diabetes
Position Statements
This position statement presents the proceedings of conferences held by AACE in with health care professionals and community leaders that focused on improvement of diabetes care for African Americans, Latino/Hispanics, Asian Americans, and Native Americans in the United States. Based on these meetings, AACE created a diabetes care model that promotes educational, research, and clinical practice enhancements, including but not limited to the use of culturally appropriate language, nutritional messaging, health literacy, clinic infrastructure with flexible office hours, behavioral medicine, community partnerships for care delivery, technology innovation, and clinical trial recruitment and retention of ethnic minorities with the goal of improved patient outcomes.
2019 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Perioperative Nutrition, Metabolic, and Nonsurgical Support of Patients Undergoing Bariatric Procedures
Nutrition and Obesity
Clinical Practice Guidelines
Co-sponsored Clinical Guidance
Podcasts
This guideline identifies patient candidates for bariatric procedures, discusses which types of bariatric procedures should be offered, outlines management of patients before procedures, and recommends how to optimize patient care during and after procedures.
2019 Consensus Statement on the Evaluation of Incidentally Discovered Adrenal Masses
Pituitary, Gonad, Adrenal and Neuroendocrine
Consensus Statements
This consensus statement provides a practical approach to the evaluation of incidentally discovered adrenal masses, presenting five patient case scenarios selected to highlight a unique and relatively characteristic presentation that clinicians may encounter and answering key questions to help guide evaluation, diagnosis, management, and treatment.
2018 Consensus Statement on the Quality of DXA Scans and Reports
Bone and Parathyroid
Consensus Statements
This consensus statement identifies common technical errors and issues that can affect DXA report conclusions and provides guidance on how to address those issues to ensure that patients receive appropriate osteoporosis care.
2018 Position Statement on the Use of Vitamins and Minerals in Skeletal Health
Bone and Parathyroid
Position Statements
This position statement addresses the use of dietary supplements on skeletal health, the need for more studies that accurately quantify the effect of an individual nutrient on bone health, the importance of recognizing the nutrient needs of each individual, and current understanding of optimal nutrition to maximize bone gain, minimize bone loss, and reduce fragility fracture risk.
2017 Position Statement on the Use of Follow-On Biologics and Biosimilars for Endocrine Diseases
Diabetes
Position Statements
This position statement provides guidance on follow-on biologics versus biosimilars, interchangeability and substitution, FDA draft guidance for interchangeability of biosimilars, and clinical application.
2017 Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline on Endocrine Treatment of Gender-Dysphoric/Gender-Incongruent Persons
Pituitary, Gonad, Adrenal and Neuroendocrine
Clinical Practice Guidelines
Co-sponsored Clinical Guidance
This 2017 guideline‒led by the Endocrine Society and co-sponsored with AACE, American Society of Andrology, European Society for Pediatric Endocrinology, European Society of Endocrinology, Pediatric Endocrine Society, and World Professional Association for Transgender Health‒is an update of the 2009 Endocrine Society guideline on endocrine treatment of transsexual persons. An update of this guideline is in development.
2017 Consensus Statement on Transgender Medicine
Pituitary, Gonad, Adrenal and Neuroendocrine
Consensus Statements
These six case discussions present clinical vignettes to illustrate some of the key recommendations for diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management of transgender children and adults in the Endocrine Society's 2017 guideline, co-sponsored by AACE, on endocrine treatment of persons with gender dysphoria/gender incongruence.
2017 Protocol for Standardized Production of Clinical Practice Guidelines, Algorithms, and Checklists
This 2017 update in CPG development focused on updated ratings for evidence and grading of recommendations for a more transparent process. Coming soon--2023 update to the AACE Protocol for Guidance Document Development.
2017 Clinical Practice Guideline for Management of Dyslipidemia and Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiometabolic and Lipids
Clinical Practice Guidelines
This clinical practice guideline provides evidence-based recommendations to reduce the risks and consequences of dyslipidemia. It provides guidance on screening, risk assessment, and treatment recommendations for a range of individuals with various lipid disorders.
2017 Position Statement on Adiposity-Based Chronic Disease as a New Diagnostic Term
Nutrition and Obesity
Position Statements
This position statement outlines new terminology and blueprint for a chronic care model with an advanced diagnostic framework for the comprehensive management of obesity.
2016 Position Statement on Transculturalization Recommendations for Developing Latin American Clinical Practice Algorithms in Endocrinology
Position Statements
This statement provides recommendations from a workshop in Latin America for incorporating transculturalization factors into guidance for management of diabetes (focusing on glycemic control), obesity (focusing on weight loss), thyroid (focusing on thyroid nodule diagnostics), and bone (focusing on postmenopausal osteoporosis) disorders to assist local experts in creating culturally sensitive and easy-to-implement tools for optimizing endocrine care.
2016 Clinical Practice Guideline and Algorithm for Medical Care of Patients with Obesity
Nutrition and Obesity
Algorithms
Clinical Practice Guidelines
The 2016 guideline and algorithm address key aspects of obesity care: screening, diagnosis, clinical evaluation, treatment options, therapy selection, and treatment goals.
2016 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Thyroid Nodules
Thyroid
Clinical Practice Guidelines
Co-sponsored Clinical Guidance
This clinical practice guideline covers diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of thyroid nodular disease but not thyroid cancer management.
2015 Consensus Statement for Pre-Operative Therapy in Management of Patients with Acromegaly
Pituitary, Gonad, Adrenal and Neuroendocrine
Consensus Statements
This statement addresses the use of somatostatin-receptor ligands (SRLs) as preoperative therapy for individuals with acromegaly to improve outcomes.
2015 Consensus Statement on Pancreatic Incidentalomas
Pituitary, Gonad, Adrenal and Neuroendocrine
Consensus Statements
This statement addresses incidental detection of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, imaging-based characterization for differential diagnoses, prognosis, and appropriate management.
2015 Consensus Statement on Midgut Carcinoids
Pituitary, Gonad, Adrenal and Neuroendocrine
Consensus Statements
Carcinoid tumors, which most commonly originate from the small intestine, are either referred to as small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors or midgut carcinoids. This statement addresses diagnostics and therapeutics for patients with midgut carcinoids and provides an overview of multidisciplinary care to improve quality of life, treatment outcomes, and survival.
2015 Consensus Statement on MEN Thyroidectomy
Pituitary, Gonad, Adrenal and Neuroendocrine
Consensus Statements
This statement employs case studies to discuss evaluation, early diagnosis, surgical treatment, and ongoing management of endocrinopathies in patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia, type 2.
2015 Consensus Statement on Traumatic Brain Injury
Pituitary, Gonad, Adrenal and Neuroendocrine
Consensus Statements
This statement addresses neuroendocrine evaluation, testing, and management of patients with traumatic brain injury‒induced hypopituitarism or those at risk for hypopituitarism.
2015 Consensus Statement on Macroprolactin
Pituitary, Gonad, Adrenal and Neuroendocrine
Consensus Statements
This statement addresses the prevalence of macroprolactin in patients with hyperprolactinemia and macroprolactin’s relevance regarding clinical decision-making about laboratory testing, imaging, and pharmacologic or surgical treatment.
2013 Consensus Statement on the Clinical Approach to the Detection of Lipodystrophy
Cardiometabolic and Lipids
Consensus Statements
Lipodystrophy is a rare, heterogeneous group of syndromes characterized by the complete or partial loss or absence of subcutaneous adipose tissue. This consensus statement provides an overview of the literature and expert opinion on recognizing lipodystrophy and some potential management strategies.
2012 Clinical Practice Guideline for Hypothyroidism in Adults
Thyroid
Clinical Practice Guidelines
Co-sponsored Clinical Guidance
This guideline provides recommendations for diagnosis and clinical management of patients with hypothyroidism in the ambulatory care setting.
2012 Position Statement on Healthcare Disparities
Position Statements
Since its inception, AACE has advocated for the finest in endocrine education and state-of-the-art health-care delivery without regard to race, ethnicity, gender, age, country of origin, economic status, lifestyle, sexual orientation, or domestic living arrangements. AACE actively opposes the continued existence of endocrine healthcare disparities in the USA, and will devote its resources to diminish these disparities. AACE members, staff, partners, and others with whom AACE interacts will continually advocate for understanding, prevention, and elimination of endocrine health care disparities.
2011 Clinical Practice Guideline for Hyperthyroidism and Other Causes of Thyrotoxicosis
Thyroid
Clinical Practice Guidelines
Co-sponsored Clinical Guidance
This guideline provides evidence-based recommendations for the management of patients with thyrotoxicosis.
Endorsed Clinical Guidance
Bone and Parathyroid
Cardiometabolic and Lipids
Diabetes
Nutrition and Obesity
Pituitary, Gonad, Adrenal and Neuroendocrine
Thyroid
Co-sponsored Clinical Guidance
Endorsed Clinical Guidance
After careful review, AACE may endorse clinical guidance documents developed by external organizations to provide up-to-date recommendations for practice or valuable ancillary knowledge for AACE members and their teams to improve care of patients. Endorsements are reviewed and approved by AACE leadership.
Frequently Asked Questions
View the answers to the most frequently asked clinical guidance questions.
Qualifications to Serve on a Guidance Document Task Force
View the required qualifications to be considered to serve as a Chair/Co-Chair/Vice Chair or an author of an AACE guideline or consensus statement for a particular task force.
Topic Nomination Form for AACE Clinical Guidance Document
Only topics nominated by AACE members in good standing will be considered.
Topics are reviewed by the Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) Oversight Committee twice a year (approximately in March and September). Approval does not guarantee that a guidance document on the topic will be developed within a certain timeframe. AACE plans initiation of approved topics in the context of current and other approved documents in queue for development, dependent on budget and availability of personnel and resources.