Table 1.

Classification of precision of net effect estimate

Pattern of net effect estimate	Classification	Precision of net effect estimate is consistent with …
Entire CI is beneficial	Net benefit	High certainty of net benefit
Point estimate is beneficial, lower bound of CI is harmful and point estimate has larger absolute value than lower bound of CI	Likely net benefit	Moderate certainty of net benefit
Point estimate is beneficial, lower bound of CI is harmful and point estimate has smaller absolute value than lower bound of CI	Possible net benefit	Low certainty of net benefit
Point estimate is close to zero, wide CI*	Possibly no net benefit or harm	Very low certainty of net benefit or harm
Point estimate is close to zero, narrow CI*	Net benefit or harm likely near zero	Moderate certainty of little net benefit or harm
Point estimate is harmful, upper bound of CI is beneficial and point estimate has smaller absolute value than upper bound of CI	Possible net harm	Low certainty of net harm
Point estimate is harmful, upper bound of CI is beneficial and point estimate has larger absolute value than upper bound of CI	Likely net harm	Moderate certainty of net harm
Entire CI is harmful	Net harm	High certainty of net harm

*Differentiation of wide versus narrow CIs could be based on a threshold of minimally important differences.