Table 3 Criteria list for determining the level of evidence for best evidence synthesis, adapted from Lievense et al. [6,7]
From: Could low grade bacterial infection contribute to low back pain? A systematic review
Level of evidence | Criteria for inclusion in best evidence synthesis |
|---|---|
Strong evidence | Generally consistent findings in multiple high quality cohort studies |
Moderate evidence | Generally consistent findings in 1 high quality cohort study, >2 high quality case–control studies, or >3 high quality case–control studies |
Limited evidence | Generally consistent findings in a single cohort study, 1 or 2 case–control studies, or multiple cross-sectional studies |
Conflicting evidence | Inconsistent findings in <75% of the trials |
No evidence | No studies could be found |