Table 2 Selected studies per working group and clinical question

WG1 Symptom treatment

 1 Anxiety and depression: Non pharmacological interventions

 -

4 guidelines [18,19,20,21]

 2 Anxiety and depression: Pharmacological interventions

 -

1 textbook [22], 4 guidelines [18,19,20,21]

 3 Delirium: Non pharmacological interventions

 -

2 guidelines [12, 23]

 4 Delirium: Pharmacological interventions

 5 Dyspnoea: Non pharmacological interventions

2 RCTs [24, 25]

2 guidelines [20, 26]

 6 Dyspnoea: Pharmacological interventions for dyspnoea

 -

 7 Haematological symptoms: Pharmacological interventions for anaemia

2 RCTs [27, 28]

1 textbook [29], 2 guidelines [30, 31]

 8 Haematological symptoms: Pharmacological interventions for thrombocytopenia

 -

2 guidelines [30, 32]

 9 Haematological symptoms: Pharmacological interventions for haemorrhages

 -

- 

 10 Haematological symptoms: Pharmacological interventions for thrombosis

 -

-

 11 Coughing: Non pharmacological interventions

 -

1 guideline [33]

 12 Coughing: Pharmacological interventions

 13 Skin complaints: Non pharmacological interventions (pressure ulcers and itching)

 -

5 guidelines [34,35,36,37,38]

 14 Skin complaints: Pharmacological interventions (pressure ulcers and itching)

1 RCT [39]

 15 Nausea vomiting: Non pharmacological interventions

1 RCT [40]

2 guidelines [41, 42]

 16 Nausea vomiting: Pharmacological interventions

7 RCTs [43,44,45,46,47,48,49]

4 guidelines [20, 41, 42, 50]

 17 Neurological symptoms: Non pharmacological interventions

 -

4 guidelines [51,52,53,54]

 18 Neurological symptoms: Pharmacological interventions

2 RCTs [55, 56]

5 guidelines [12, 51,52,53,54]

 19 Pain: Non pharmacological interventions

1 SR of RCTs [57]

1 guideline [58]

 20 Pain: Pharmacological interventions

2 SR of RCTs [59, 60]

1 guideline [12]

 21 Death rattle: Non pharmacological interventions

 -

2 guidelines [12, 61]

 22 Death rattle: Pharmacological interventions

 23 Fatigue: Non pharmacological interventions

 -

2 guidelines [62, 63]

 24 Fatigue: Pharmacological interventions

1 guideline [62]

WG2 Refractory symptom treatment

 25 Palliative sedation

 -

2 textbooks [22, 29], 1 guideline [64]

 26 Palliative sedation in children with severe disabilities

-

 27 Forgoing hydration and nutrition

 -

2 textbooks [22, 29], 2 guidelines [12, 65]

WG3 Advance care planning and shared decision-making

 28 Advance care planning interventions

4 RCTs [66,67,68,69]

1 guideline [12]

 29 Barriers and facilitators of advance care planning and shared-decision making

22 qualitative studies [70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90,91] ^b

WG4 Organisation of care

 30 Organisational interventions

 -

1 guidelines [12]

WG5 Psychosocial care

 31 Psychological interventions for children

1 SR of RCTs [92], 2 RCTs [93, 94]

1 guideline [12]

 32 Psychological interventions for parents, and family members

2 SRs of RCTs [57, 92], 1 RCT [95]

 33 Social and practical support for children, parents, and family members

 -

 34 Cultural, spiritual, and religious support for children, parents, and family members

2 RCTs [96, 97]

WG6 Loss and bereavement

 35 Bereavement care interventions for children, parents, and family members

1 RCT [98]

1 guideline [12]

 36 Components of bereavement care interventions

 -

10 SRs [99,100,101,102,103,104,105,106,107,108], 1 guideline [12]

 37 Experiences and needs of parents and health care providers

 38 Features of communicative and affective strategies