Skip to Main Content

Text alternative for the Levels of Evidence Pyramid diagram

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.