Strong Recommendation — Supported by convincing (high) or adequate (intermediate) quality of evidence and/or clear benefit that outweighs any harms.
Recommendation — Indicates there is some limitation in the quality of the evidence, balance of benefits and harms, values, or costs, but the panel concludes that there is sufficient evidence and/or benefit to inform a recommendation.
Expert Consensus Opinion — Indicates there are serious limitations in the quality of evidence, balance of benefits and harms, values, or costs but the panel consensus is that the statement is necessary.
Quality of Evidence
Convincing — High confidence that available evidence reflects true effect. Further research is very unlikely to change the confidence in the estimate of effect.
Adequate — Moderate confidence that available evidence reflects true effect. Further research is likely to have an important impact on the confidence in estimate of effect and may change the estimate.
Inadequate — Little confidence that available evidence reflects true effect. Further research is very likely to have an important impact on the confidence in the estimate of effect and is likely to change the estimate.
Insufficient — Evidence is insufficient to discern net effect. Any estimate of effect is very uncertain.