Table 1 The seven standardized criteria
| Levels of evidence | Description |
|---|---|
| Convincing |
• Associations with a statistical significance at P < 10−6 • More than 1000 cases included (or more than 20,000 participants for continuous outcomes) • The largest component study reporting a significant result at P < 0.05 • A 95% prediction interval that excluded the null • Absence of large heterogeneity (I2<50%) • No evidence of small study effects (P > 0.10) • No evidence of excess significance (P > 0.10) |
| Highly suggestive |
• Associations with a statistical significance at P < 10−6 • More than 1000 cases included (or more than 20,000 participants for continuous outcomes) • The largest component study reporting a significant result at P < 0.05. |
| Suggestive |
• Associations with a statistical significance at P < 0.001 • More than 1000 cases included (or more than 20,000 participants for continuous outcomes). |
| Weak | • Associations with a statistical significance at P < 0.05 |