Table 1 Criteria for rating the quality of evidence for individual studies
Level of Evidence | Description |
|---|---|
1 = Strong | Systematic review/meta-analysis of RCTs with consistent findings; high-quality individual RCT |
2 = Medium | Systematic review/meta-analysis of lower-quality clinical trials or of studies with inconsistent findings; lower quality clinical trial; cohort study; case–control study |
3 = Weak | Consensus guidelines; usual practice; expert opinion; case series |