GRADE Strength of Recommendations and Implications
Grade
Implications of strong and conditional (weak)
guideline recommendations
Strong • Patients: Most individuals in this situation would want
the recommended course of action and only a small
proportion would not.
• Clinicians: Most individuals should receive the
recommended course of action. Formal decision aids are
not likely to be needed to help individuals make decisions
consistent with their values and preferences.
Conditional
(weak)
• Patients: The majority of individuals in this situation
would want the suggested course of action, but many
would not.
• Clinicians: Different choices will be appropriate for
different patients.
Decision aids may well be useful in helping individuals
making decisions consistent with their values and
preferences.
Clinicians should expect to spend more time with
patients when working toward a decision.
Reprinted with permission from Sultan et al. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2013;11:329–332.
