Levels of evidence pyramid:

Levels of evidence pyramid: Text alternative

Starting from the top, or point, of the pyramid to the base, the pyramid is broken into 7 sections stacked on top of each other. The quality of information is highest at the top of the pyramid, and decreases as you move down to the base.

The top 3 sections are Filtered Information:

• Section 1: systematic reviews
• Section 2: critically-appraised topics [Evidence syntheses]
• Section 3: critically-appraised individual articles [Article synopsis]

The fourth through sixth sections are Unfiltered Information:

• Section 4: randomized controlled trials (RCTs)
• Section 5: cohort studies
• Section 6: case-controlled studies, case series/reports

The base of the pyramid consists of Background information and expert opinion.