I'm doing a systematic review and meta analysis on RCT studies and thinking about using GRADE approach to report the study evidence level, but i didnt use the ROB2 tools to appraise my study(I use PEdro tool), can i still use this approach or is it mandated to use rob2 to use this approach?
You can use any tool so long as you address the five aspects: Directness, consistency, publication bias, precision and RoB/Quality
To see the difference between RoB and quality assessment see
Article Quality versus Risk-of-Bias assessment in clinical research
While the GRADE approach and the Cochrane Collaboration RoB/RoB 2 tools cover overlapping concepts and principles with regards to RoB and quality assessment, both were not exactly made/designed to be automatically paired with one another. Thus, nothing should stop you from using the GRADE approach should you choose not to make use of the Cochrane RoB/RoB 2 tools.
Besides, what really matters is not the machine-like use and reporting of the results of your GRADE approach outcomes (made easier by using GRADEpro) but your explicit justification for the scores/up-grading/down-grading that you gave the evidence in your systematic review and meta-analysis. In adding the results of the GRADE approach in your review, you must specify not only the overall and the component scores/grades but also the reasons for these scores/grades (e.g., why do you say that there is a very serious concern on imprecision issues?).
Numerous tools exist to evaluate the quality/the risk of bias in randomized trials and observational studies. GRADE Handbook describes the key criteria used in the GRADE approach. If your tool matching with these criteria, you can use it. But I would suggest going for the ROB tool for RCTs.
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