Table 1.

Grades of recommendations

GRADE	RECOMMENDATION
A	Strongly recommends that clinicians routinely provide the treatment to eligible patients. There is good evidence that the treatment improves important health outcomes and the benefits substantially outweigh the harms
B	Recommends that clinicians routinely provide the treatment to eligible patients. There is at least fair evidence that the treatment improves important health outcomes and the benefits outweigh the harms
C	There is no recommendation for or against routine provision of the treatment. There is at least fair evidence that the treatment can improve health outcomes but the balance of benefits and harms is too close to justify a general recommendation
D	Recommends against routinely providing the treatment to asymptomatic patients. There is at least fair evidence that the treatment is ineffective or that the harms outweigh the benefits
I	The evidence is insufficient to recommend for or against routinely providing the treatment. The evidence that the treatment is effective is lacking, of poor quality, or conflicting, and the balance of benefits and harms cannot be determined