Diagnostic Case control studies
Diagnostic Case control studies
Level 3.b – Systematic review of comparable cohort and other lower study designs
Level 4.b – Cross-sectional study
Level 4.c – Case series
Level 4.d – Case study
Level 5 – Expert Opinion and Bench Research
Level 5.a – Systematic review of expert opinion
Level 5.b – Expert consensus
Level 5.c – Bench research/ single expert opinion
Page | 3
LEVELS OF EVIDENCE FOR DIAGNOSIS
Level 1 – Studies of Test Accuracy among consecutive patients
Level 1.a – Systematic review of studies of test accuracy among consecutive patients
Level 1.b – Study of test accuracy among consecutive patients
Level 2 – Studies of Test Accuracy among non-consecutive patients
Level 2.a – Systematic review of studies of test accuracy among non-consecutive patients
Level 2.b – Study of test accuracy among non-consecutive patients
Level 3 – Diagnostic Case control studies
Level 3.a – Systematic review of diagnostic case control studies
Level 3.b – Diagnostic case-control study
Level 4 – Diagnostic yield studies
Level 4.a – Systematic review of diagnostic yield studies
Level 4.b – Individual diagnostic yield study
Level 5 – Expert Opinion and Bench Research
Level 5.a – Systematic review of expert opinion
Level 5.b – Expert consensus
Level 5.c – Bench research/ single expert opinion
Page | 4
LEVELS OF EVIDENCE FOR PROGNOSIS
Level 1 – Inception Cohort Studies
Level 1.a – Systematic review of inception cohort studies
Level 1.b – Inception cohort study
Level 2 – Studies of All or none
Level 2.a – Systematic review of all or none studies
Level 2.b – All or none studies
Level 3 – Cohort studies
Level 3.a – Systematic review of cohort studies (or control arm of RCT)
Level 3.b – Cohort study (or control arm of RCT)
Level 4 – Case series/Case Controlled/ Historically Controlled studies
Level 4.a – Systematic review of Case series/Case Controlled/ Historically Controlled studies
Level 4.b – Individual Case series/Case Controlled/ Historically Controlled study
Level 5 – Expert Opinion and Bench Research
Level 5.a – Systematic review of expert opinion
Level 5.b – Expert consensus
Level 5.c – Bench research/ single expert opinion
Page | 5
LEVELS OF EVIDENCE FOR ECONOMIC EVALUATIONS
Levels
1. Decision model with assumptions and variables informed by systematic review and tailored to fit the decision making context.
2. Systematic review of economic evaluations conducted in a setting similar to the decision makers.
3. Synthesis/review of economic evaluations undertaken in a setting similar to that in which the decision is to be made and which are of high quality (comprehensive and credible measurement of costs and health outcomes, sufficient time period covered, discounting, and sensitivity testing).
4. Economic evaluation of high quality (comprehensive and credible measurement of costs and health outcomes, sufficient time period covered, discounting and sensitivity testing) and conducted in setting similar to the decision making context.
5. Synthesis / review of economic evaluations of moderate and/or poor quality (insufficient coverage of costs and health effects, no discounting, no sensitivity testing, time period covered insufficient).
6. Single economic evaluation of moderate or poor quality (see directly above level 5 description of studies). 7. Expert opinion on incremental cost effectives of intervention and comparator.
Page | 6
LEVELS OF EVIDENCE FOR MEANINGFULNESS
1. Qualitative or mixed-methods systematic review
2. Qualitative or mixed-methods synthesis
3. Single qualitative study
4. Systematic review of expert opinion
5. Expert opinion
