Report of the Canadian Hypertension Society Consensus Conference: 2. Diagnosis of hypertension in adults

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Table 1: Levels of evidence for rating studies of diagnosis

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I.

(a) Independent interpretation of test procedure (without knowledge of result of diagnostic standard).

(b) Independent interpretation of diagnostic standard (without knowledge of result of test procedure).

(c) Selection of patients or subjects who are suspected but not known to have the disorder of interest.

(d) Reproducible description of both the test and the diagnostic standard.

(e) At least 50 patients with and 50 without the disorder.

II. Meets four of the criteria in I.

III. Meets three of the criteria in I.

IV. Meets two of the criteria in I.

V. Meets one of the criteria in I.

VI. Meets none of the criteria in I.

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Table 2: Grading system for recommendations

B. The best evidence available was at level II.

C. The best evidence available was at level III.

D. The best evidence available was lower than level III and inclued expert opinion.