Table 1. Recommendations and evidence.

Recommendation strength A	Evidence level
Clinical diagnosis of acute uncomplicated bronchitis renders laboratory testing, sputum evaluation, and chest radiographs unnecessary.	TIa, PII ↔
Uncomplicated acute bronchitis should not be treated with antibiotics.	TIa ↔
The patient should be informed about the spontaneous course of acute (cold-related) cough.	TIb, SIII ↔
Recommendation strength B	Evidence level
Technical investigations should be dispensed with in acute cough with no danger signs.	SIV ↑
Acute cough in the context of infection should not be treated with expectorants (secretolytics, mucolytics).	TIa ↓
Acute cough in the context of infection should only exceptionally be treated with antitussives.	TIIa ↔
Sputum evaluation should not be routine in community-acquired pneumonia.	DII, CII ↔
In the absence of risk factors, community-acquired pneumonia should be treated with an empirical oral antibiotic (an aminopenicillin, or alternatively a tetracycline or a macrolide) for 5 to 7 days.	TIa ↓
In the presence of risk factors, community-acquired pneumonia should be treated with an empirical oral antibiotic (an aminopenicillin with a betalactamase inhibitor, or alternatively with a cephalosporin) for 5 to 7 days.	TIa ↓
Laboratory testing (serology, direct demonstration of virus) should not be routine in suspicion of an influenza ‧infection.	TIa, DI ↓
Neuraminidase inhibitors should be used only exceptionally for treatment of seasonal influenza.	TIa ↓

Evidence level depending on the respective research question: T, treatment-related; D, diagnosis-related; S, symptom-related; C, cause-related; P, prognosis-related

Level I–IV: strength of underlying evidence, e.g., for treatment-related questions: Ia, systematic reviews/meta-analyses; Ib, randomized controlled trials (RCT); IIa, controlled cohort studies; IIb, case–control studies; III, noncontrolled studies; IV, expert opinion/Good Clinical Practice, according to DEGAM guideline development concept (4)

Result of consensus process/application of GRADE criteria (5): ↔ Recommendation strength corresponds to evidence level, ↑ Upgrading, ↓ Downgrading GRADE, Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation