We elaborated the reasons why systematic reviews need to use GRADE based on a couple of specific examples. Aiming to provide references to understand and use GRADE correctly, we also answered some frequently-asked questions and concerns about GRADE as follows: a) differentiating the uses of GRADE between its application in guidelines and in systematic reviews; b) how to determine the overall quality of evidence? c) can GRADE be used to access the quality of single study or not? d) different uses of GRADE between randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies; e) weight of GRADE items; and f) factors that might influence the results of GRADE and the balance between upgrading and downgrading.
Objective To investigate the value of CT grading diagnosis in clinical therapy of acute pancreatitis. Methods CT scanning was carried out in patients with acute pancreatitis between 2003 and 2009, and Enhancement CT scanning was carried out in patients without contraindications of contrast medium. Two radiologists analyzed the images and made CT grading diagnose. Contrast study was made between CT grading diagnose and clinical scale as well as prognosis. Results In 518 cases, the CT grading was as the following: grade A 9 cases, grade B 66 cases, grade C 105 cases, grade D 147 cases, and grade E 191 cases. Patients with grade A and B were fully recovered after conservation and supportive treatment. In cases of grade C, only 2 patients had recurred pancreatitis after conservation treatment, and others were fully healing. Ninety-four patients who needed operation and 23 patients who died were all occurred in grade D and E. Conclusion CT grading diagnosis of acute pancreatitis can reflect the range, extent, and course of disease, and it has good dependablity with clinical grading.
ObjectiveTo explore the management mode of head nurse-grading training, in order to enhance the management of nursing care and promote nursing quality. MethodFrom June 2013 to June 2014, we established head nurse-grading training management institutions and designed the head nurse-grading training management scheme, based on which we carried out training for assistant nurses, nursing officers, and new and old head nurses. The effects were compared before and after the training. ResultsAfter the implementation of grading training of head nurses, the quality of nursing management, nursing quality, satisfaction of nurses and patients were all significantly improved (P<0.05). ConclusionsGrading training for head nurses and let the most appropriate nursing staff work at the best of time on the most needed jobs can constantly improve quality of care and meet the needs of nurses and patients.
The approaches of rating the quality of evidence of systematic reviews of diagnostic accuracy tests are different from systematic reviews of interventional studies. This article systematically introduces the application of GRADE in systematic reviews of diagnostic accuracy tests by a case interpretation and analysis. In this article we present rating workflow in systematic reviews of diagnostic accuracy tests and introduce how to use the GDT website to display the rating results, and interpret the conclusion of systematic reviews based on GRADE results.
Depending on different designs of original studies, systematic reviews of diagnostic studies could be categorized into two kinds:one is based on diagnostic randomized controlled trials, of which the GRADE rating approach is similar to that of interventional systematic reviews; and the other is based on diagnostic accuracy tests, of which the GRADE rating approach is introduced in this article. This article explains the application of GRADE in systematic reviews of diagnostic accuracy tests mainly from the angle of theoretical analysis, including rationales, methods, and challenges.
GRADEpro GDT-Guideline Development Tool, is an online tool for the integration of important data and process of clinical practice guidelines and diagnostic guidelines. It is a new methodology progress of the GRADE system. This paper introduced how to use GRADEpro GDT to rate the quality of evidence in systematic reviews of intervention studies with an example.
Guideline Development Tool (GRADE pro GDT) is an online tool that addresses the integration of the important data and process of the clinical practice guidelines and diagnostic guidelines. GRADE pro GDT has been updated several times, including the whole style of the web page, details of the information recording, management of the conflict of interests, and the presentation and dissemination of the results. The new version of the tool is much more intellectualized and transparent, which makes the guideline development and rating quality of evidence more standardized and scientific. This paper introduces new aspects of this tool with examples.
Obtaining the best evidence is an important part of practicing evidence-based medicine. Evidence grading is an indispensable tool and process in helping decision makers obtain the best evidence. However, the current research evidence is numerous, the quality of evidence is uneven, the evidence classification system is diverse and the standards are different. By reviewing the development history and process of evidence grading and recommendation system, this paper analyzed representative grading recommendation systems with representative and international influence, and expounded the status quo, characteristics and development trend of evidence grading development, so as to provide a reference for the grading recommendation system exploration in contemporary medical field.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the researches on grading criteria for quality of evidence and strength of recommendations of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). MethodsPubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, CNKI, WanFang Data and VIP databases were electronically searched to collect researches on grading criteria for quality of evidence and strength of recommendations of traditional Chinese medicine from inception to June 2021. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data; and then, descriptive analysis was performed using qualitative methods. ResultsA total of 18 studies were included. Specifically, 8 studies presented both the level of evidence and the strength of recommendations, 9 presented the level of evidence, and 1 presented the strength of recommendations. Thirteen studies considered both TCM evidence and modern medical evidence sources, 3 included only evidence from ancient literature, 1 focused only on post-marketing safety evaluation of Chinese medicine, and 1 focused only on real-world studies of TCM. ConclusionCurrently, there are numerous criteria for TCM related quality of evidence and strength of recommendations, and some are developed only for TCM characteristic evidence. Most researchers of TCM guidelines expect to fully value the significance of ancient literature and expert experience or opinion in guideline development.
The formation, evaluation and grade division of real-world evidence (RWE) are bottlenecks restricting the in-depth development and scientific application of real-world study methods. This paper briefly reviewed the design grade and evidence grade of clinical medical research, and proposed the key points of evidence grade of real-world clinical research, including emphasizing the comprehensive evaluation of internal authenticity and external authenticity, determining the "starting point" of real-world evidence, and using the real-world evidence quality evaluation method. Based on the internationally recognized "grading of recommendations assessment, development, and evaluation (GRADE)", combined with the classification and characteristics of real-world evidence, a preliminary grading scheme was formed. An example was given to illustrate the grading suggestion.