Systematic reviews

PRISMA 2020 flow diagram example: new systematic review

Example PRISMA 2020 flow diagram for a new systematic review that searched databases and registers, with records per database and reasons for exclusion.

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Identification of studies via databases and registersRecords identified from:Databases (n = 3,203)MEDLINE (n = 1,204)Embase (n = 1,587)CENTRAL (n = 412)Registers (n = 96)ClinicalTrials.gov (n = 96)Records removed before screening:Duplicate records removed (n = 1,021)Records screened (n = 2,278)Records excluded (n = 2,034)Reports sought for retrieval (n = 244)Reports not retrieved (n = 6)Reports assessed for eligibility (n = 238)Reports excluded:Wrong population (n = 78)Wrong intervention (n = 51)Wrong study design (n = 64)No relevant outcomes (n = 21)Studies included in review (n = 21)Reports of included studies (n = 24)From: Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ 2021;372:n71. doi: 10.1136/bmj.n71.For more information, visit: http://www.prisma-statement.org/IdentificationScreeningIncluded
PRISMA 2020 flow diagram for a new review of databases and registers. Illustrative data.

About this example

This is the most widely used PRISMA 2020 template: a new systematic review whose searches covered bibliographic databases and trial registers only.

PRISMA 2020 recommends reporting the number of records from each database rather than only a total, and listing the reasons full-text reports were excluded with a count for each. Both are shown here, and the numbers down the diagram add up.

The data

Review typeNew review
DatabasesMEDLINE (1,204), Embase (1,587), CENTRAL (412)
RegistersClinicalTrials.gov (96)
Duplicates removed1021
Records excluded at screening2034
Reports not retrieved6
Reports excluded (reasons)Wrong population (78), Wrong intervention (51), Wrong study design (64), No relevant outcomes (21)
Studies included21

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