Table 1. GRADE Terminology for Strength of Recommendation and Criteria for Evidence Certainty Assessment

Table 1. GRADE Terminology for Strength of Recommendation and Criteria for Evidence Certainty Assessment
Strength of Recommendation
Strong Recommendation = We Recommend Weak Recommendation = We Suggest 
 Assessment Criteria for Certainty of Effect
Study Design
 Certainty of Effect Begins at
This Level		 Lower if
 Higher if
Randomized trial
 High or moderate
 Risk of bias

Inconsistency

Indirectness

Imprecision

Publication bias		 Large effect

Dose response

All plausible confounding would
reduce demonstrated effect or would
suggest a spurious effect when
results show no effect
Observational trial
 Low or very low

Table 1: GRADE indicates Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation.