Ethical challenges in palliative sedation of adults: protocol for a systematic review of current clinical practice guidelines

Introduction: This study aims to identify the full spectrum of ethical challenges of all forms of palliative sedation for adults as presented in current clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), and to determine whether CPGs specify ethical challenges of this therapy for cancer and non-cancer patients and, if so, how exactly they do this. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have yet investigated this topic. The purpose is purely descriptive; our aim is not to make any kind of normative judgements on these challenges. Nor is our aim to assess the quality of the CPGs. Methods and analysis : We will perform a systematic review of CPGs on palliative sedation for adults via five electronic databases, grey literature search tools, citation tracking, and contact with palliative care experts. Current CPGs validated by an international, national, or regional authority, published in English, German, French, Italian, or Polish, from 2000 to the date of the search, will be subjected to content analysis at the textual, linguistic, and thematic levels. This study protocol is reported in accordance with the PRISMA-P criteria and registered on PROSPERO. Discussion The results of our systematic review can help raise awareness and understanding of the complexity of ethical problems, rigorously guide reflection in this field, and be useful in elaborating ethical guidelines in an interdisciplinary approach, in order to have a positive impact on the quality of patient care, education and training, and research in respect of this complex and challenging practice.