Table A1.

Recommendation classification.

Recommendation Classification	Definition	Examples of Terminology Used in Guidelines
Should do	Strong recommendations based on strong evidence	Offer, should occur, provide, always do, give, use, apply, (strongly) endorsed, endorsed, must be considered, should be considered, provide, promote and facilitate, important to do, carried out, primary choice, must be done, usually appropriate
Could do	When a recommendation could be ‘Considered’	May include, recommend, practitioner might, suggest, may be used, advice, give, may be considered, conditional recommendation, evaluate, can be evaluated, can be tried, may be appropriate, suggested, should be carefully considered
Do not do	When a recommendation should not be offered	Should refrain from, do not routinely offer, not appropriate, should not, do not give, do not use, do not, not indicated, do not start
Uncertain	Inconclusive recommendation	‘We are unable to recommend for or against’, inconclusive evidence, uncertain, no basis for recommending, Insufficient evidence to make a recommendation for or against