The Ranking, the 4- and 5-levels Solution, and the Final Grading System for the 32 Different Scenarios
| . | . | Solutions . | . | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scenario . | Rank . | 5-Grade . | 4-Grade . | Grade system . |
| At least 1 positive 2-active arm RCTs vs placebo exist, plus positive 1 active arm RCTs. No negative RCTs | 1 | A | A | 1 |
| At least 2 positive RCTs vs, placebo exist. No negative RCTs | 1 | A | A | 1 |
| One positive RCT vs placebo exists. No negative RCTs | 2 | A | B | 2 |
| More positive but some negative RCTs vs placebo. Positive all meta-analyses | 2 | A | B | 2 |
| Some positive plus some negative RCTs vs placebo. Positive all meta-analyses | 3 | B | B | 2 |
| More negative but some positive RCTs vs placebo. Positive all meta-analyses | 4 | B | B | 2 |
| Only negative trials exist vs placebo. Meta analyses all positive | 4 | B | B | 2 |
| At least 2 positive from posthoc analyses vs placebo | 5 | B | C | 3 |
| Only 1 positive from posthoc analyses vs placebo. | 5 | B | C | 3 |
| Some positive plus some negative RCTs vs placebo. Mixed results from meta-analyses | 6 | C | C | 3 |
| More positive but some negative RCTs vs placebo. Mixed results from meta-analyses | 6 | C | C | 3 |
| More positive than negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Positive all meta-analyses | 7 | D | C | 3 |
| More negative than positive from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Positive all meta-analyses | 7 | D | C | 3 |
| At least 2 negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Positive all meta-analyses | 7 | D | C | 3 |
| More positive than negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo. mixed meta-analyses | 8 | E | C | 3 |
| More negative but some positive RCTs vs placebo. Mixed results from meta-analyses | 9 | E | D | 4 |
| Only negative trials exist vs placebo. Meta analyses mixed | 9 | E | D | 4 |
| At least 2 negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Mixed meta-analyses | 10 | E | D | 4 |
| More negative than positive from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Mixed meta-analyses | 10 | E | D | 4 |
| Some positive plus some negative RCTs vs placebo. Negative all meta-analyses | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| More positive but some negative RCTs vs placebo. Negative all meta-analyses | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| More negative but some positive RCTs vs placebo. Negative all meta-analyses | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| Only 1 negative trial exists vs placebo | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| Only negative trials exist vs placebo. Meta analyses all negative | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| Only 1 negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| At least 2 negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Negative all meta-analyses | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| More negative than positive from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Negative all meta-analyses | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| More positive than negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Negative all meta-analyses | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| Only prematurely terminated trials | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| Although trials exist, the data are not available in a way to arrive at reliable conclusions | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| Only 1 failed trial, no other data | unknown | unknown | unknown | |
| At least 2 failed trials, no other data | unknown | unknown | unknown | |
| . | . | Solutions . | . | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scenario . | Rank . | 5-Grade . | 4-Grade . | Grade system . |
| At least 1 positive 2-active arm RCTs vs placebo exist, plus positive 1 active arm RCTs. No negative RCTs | 1 | A | A | 1 |
| At least 2 positive RCTs vs, placebo exist. No negative RCTs | 1 | A | A | 1 |
| One positive RCT vs placebo exists. No negative RCTs | 2 | A | B | 2 |
| More positive but some negative RCTs vs placebo. Positive all meta-analyses | 2 | A | B | 2 |
| Some positive plus some negative RCTs vs placebo. Positive all meta-analyses | 3 | B | B | 2 |
| More negative but some positive RCTs vs placebo. Positive all meta-analyses | 4 | B | B | 2 |
| Only negative trials exist vs placebo. Meta analyses all positive | 4 | B | B | 2 |
| At least 2 positive from posthoc analyses vs placebo | 5 | B | C | 3 |
| Only 1 positive from posthoc analyses vs placebo. | 5 | B | C | 3 |
| Some positive plus some negative RCTs vs placebo. Mixed results from meta-analyses | 6 | C | C | 3 |
| More positive but some negative RCTs vs placebo. Mixed results from meta-analyses | 6 | C | C | 3 |
| More positive than negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Positive all meta-analyses | 7 | D | C | 3 |
| More negative than positive from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Positive all meta-analyses | 7 | D | C | 3 |
| At least 2 negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Positive all meta-analyses | 7 | D | C | 3 |
| More positive than negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo. mixed meta-analyses | 8 | E | C | 3 |
| More negative but some positive RCTs vs placebo. Mixed results from meta-analyses | 9 | E | D | 4 |
| Only negative trials exist vs placebo. Meta analyses mixed | 9 | E | D | 4 |
| At least 2 negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Mixed meta-analyses | 10 | E | D | 4 |
| More negative than positive from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Mixed meta-analyses | 10 | E | D | 4 |
| Some positive plus some negative RCTs vs placebo. Negative all meta-analyses | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| More positive but some negative RCTs vs placebo. Negative all meta-analyses | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| More negative but some positive RCTs vs placebo. Negative all meta-analyses | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| Only 1 negative trial exists vs placebo | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| Only negative trials exist vs placebo. Meta analyses all negative | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| Only 1 negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| At least 2 negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Negative all meta-analyses | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| More negative than positive from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Negative all meta-analyses | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| More positive than negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Negative all meta-analyses | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| Only prematurely terminated trials | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| Although trials exist, the data are not available in a way to arrive at reliable conclusions | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| Only 1 failed trial, no other data | unknown | unknown | unknown | |
| At least 2 failed trials, no other data | unknown | unknown | unknown | |
The Ranking, the 4- and 5-levels Solution, and the Final Grading System for the 32 Different Scenarios
| . | . | Solutions . | . | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scenario . | Rank . | 5-Grade . | 4-Grade . | Grade system . |
| At least 1 positive 2-active arm RCTs vs placebo exist, plus positive 1 active arm RCTs. No negative RCTs | 1 | A | A | 1 |
| At least 2 positive RCTs vs, placebo exist. No negative RCTs | 1 | A | A | 1 |
| One positive RCT vs placebo exists. No negative RCTs | 2 | A | B | 2 |
| More positive but some negative RCTs vs placebo. Positive all meta-analyses | 2 | A | B | 2 |
| Some positive plus some negative RCTs vs placebo. Positive all meta-analyses | 3 | B | B | 2 |
| More negative but some positive RCTs vs placebo. Positive all meta-analyses | 4 | B | B | 2 |
| Only negative trials exist vs placebo. Meta analyses all positive | 4 | B | B | 2 |
| At least 2 positive from posthoc analyses vs placebo | 5 | B | C | 3 |
| Only 1 positive from posthoc analyses vs placebo. | 5 | B | C | 3 |
| Some positive plus some negative RCTs vs placebo. Mixed results from meta-analyses | 6 | C | C | 3 |
| More positive but some negative RCTs vs placebo. Mixed results from meta-analyses | 6 | C | C | 3 |
| More positive than negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Positive all meta-analyses | 7 | D | C | 3 |
| More negative than positive from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Positive all meta-analyses | 7 | D | C | 3 |
| At least 2 negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Positive all meta-analyses | 7 | D | C | 3 |
| More positive than negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo. mixed meta-analyses | 8 | E | C | 3 |
| More negative but some positive RCTs vs placebo. Mixed results from meta-analyses | 9 | E | D | 4 |
| Only negative trials exist vs placebo. Meta analyses mixed | 9 | E | D | 4 |
| At least 2 negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Mixed meta-analyses | 10 | E | D | 4 |
| More negative than positive from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Mixed meta-analyses | 10 | E | D | 4 |
| Some positive plus some negative RCTs vs placebo. Negative all meta-analyses | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| More positive but some negative RCTs vs placebo. Negative all meta-analyses | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| More negative but some positive RCTs vs placebo. Negative all meta-analyses | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| Only 1 negative trial exists vs placebo | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| Only negative trials exist vs placebo. Meta analyses all negative | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| Only 1 negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| At least 2 negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Negative all meta-analyses | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| More negative than positive from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Negative all meta-analyses | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| More positive than negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Negative all meta-analyses | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| Only prematurely terminated trials | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| Although trials exist, the data are not available in a way to arrive at reliable conclusions | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| Only 1 failed trial, no other data | unknown | unknown | unknown | |
| At least 2 failed trials, no other data | unknown | unknown | unknown | |
| . | . | Solutions . | . | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scenario . | Rank . | 5-Grade . | 4-Grade . | Grade system . |
| At least 1 positive 2-active arm RCTs vs placebo exist, plus positive 1 active arm RCTs. No negative RCTs | 1 | A | A | 1 |
| At least 2 positive RCTs vs, placebo exist. No negative RCTs | 1 | A | A | 1 |
| One positive RCT vs placebo exists. No negative RCTs | 2 | A | B | 2 |
| More positive but some negative RCTs vs placebo. Positive all meta-analyses | 2 | A | B | 2 |
| Some positive plus some negative RCTs vs placebo. Positive all meta-analyses | 3 | B | B | 2 |
| More negative but some positive RCTs vs placebo. Positive all meta-analyses | 4 | B | B | 2 |
| Only negative trials exist vs placebo. Meta analyses all positive | 4 | B | B | 2 |
| At least 2 positive from posthoc analyses vs placebo | 5 | B | C | 3 |
| Only 1 positive from posthoc analyses vs placebo. | 5 | B | C | 3 |
| Some positive plus some negative RCTs vs placebo. Mixed results from meta-analyses | 6 | C | C | 3 |
| More positive but some negative RCTs vs placebo. Mixed results from meta-analyses | 6 | C | C | 3 |
| More positive than negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Positive all meta-analyses | 7 | D | C | 3 |
| More negative than positive from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Positive all meta-analyses | 7 | D | C | 3 |
| At least 2 negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Positive all meta-analyses | 7 | D | C | 3 |
| More positive than negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo. mixed meta-analyses | 8 | E | C | 3 |
| More negative but some positive RCTs vs placebo. Mixed results from meta-analyses | 9 | E | D | 4 |
| Only negative trials exist vs placebo. Meta analyses mixed | 9 | E | D | 4 |
| At least 2 negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Mixed meta-analyses | 10 | E | D | 4 |
| More negative than positive from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Mixed meta-analyses | 10 | E | D | 4 |
| Some positive plus some negative RCTs vs placebo. Negative all meta-analyses | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| More positive but some negative RCTs vs placebo. Negative all meta-analyses | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| More negative but some positive RCTs vs placebo. Negative all meta-analyses | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| Only 1 negative trial exists vs placebo | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| Only negative trials exist vs placebo. Meta analyses all negative | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| Only 1 negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| At least 2 negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Negative all meta-analyses | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| More negative than positive from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Negative all meta-analyses | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| More positive than negative from posthoc analyses vs placebo. Negative all meta-analyses | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| Only prematurely terminated trials | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| Although trials exist, the data are not available in a way to arrive at reliable conclusions | neg | neg | neg | 5 |
| Only 1 failed trial, no other data | unknown | unknown | unknown | |
| At least 2 failed trials, no other data | unknown | unknown | unknown | |
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