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. 2020 Jan 22;65(8):2354–2372. doi: 10.1007/s10620-019-06036-0

Table 1.

PRISMA checklist

Section/topic # Checklist item
Title
Title 1 Identify the report as a systematic review, meta-analysis, or both
Abstract
Structured summary 2 Provide a structured summary including, as applicable: background; objectives; data sources; study eligibility criteria, participants, and interventions; study appraisal and synthesis methods; results; limitations; conclusions and implications of key findings; systematic review registration number
Introduction
Rationale 3 Describe the rationale for the review in the context of what is already known
Objectives 4 Provide an explicit statement of questions being addressed with reference to participants, interventions, comparisons, outcomes, and study design (PICOS)
Methods
Protocol and registration 5 Indicate if a review protocol exists, if and where it can be accessed (e.g., Web address), and, if available, provide registration information including registration number
Eligibility criteria 6 Specify study characteristics (e.g., PICOS, length of follow-up) and report characteristics (e.g., years considered, language, publication status) used as criteria for eligibility, giving rationale
Information sources 7 Describe all information sources (e.g., databases with dates of coverage, contact with study authors to identify additional studies) in the search and date last searched
Search 8 Present full electronic search strategy for at least one database, including any limits used, such that it could be repeated
Study selection 9 State the process for selecting studies (i.e., screening, eligibility, included in systematic review, and, if applicable, included in the meta-analysis)
Data collection process 10 Describe the method of data extraction from reports (e.g., piloted forms, independently, in duplicate) and any processes for obtaining and confirming data from investigators
Data items 11 List and define all variables for which data were sought (e.g., PICOS, funding sources) and any assumptions and simplifications made
Risk of bias in individual studies 12 Describe the methods used for assessing the risk of bias of individual studies (including specification of whether this was done at the study or outcome level), and how this information is to be used in any data synthesis
Summary measures 13 State the principal summary measures (e.g., risk ratio, difference in means)
Synthesis of results 14 Describe the methods of handling data and combining results of studies, if done, including measures of consistency (e.g., I2) for each meta-analysis
Risk of bias across studies 15 Specify any assessment of the risk of bias that may affect the cumulative evidence (e.g., publication bias, selective reporting within studies)
Additional analyses 16 Describe the methods of additional analyses (e.g., sensitivity or subgroup analyses, meta-regression), if done, indicating which were pre-specified
Results
Study selection 17 Give the numbers of studies screened, assessed for eligibility, and included in the review, with reasons for exclusions at each stage, ideally with a flow diagram
Study characteristics 18 For each study, present characteristics for which data were extracted (e.g., study size, PICOS, follow-up period) and provide the citations
Risk of bias within studies 19 Present data on the risk of bias of each study and, if available, any outcome level assessment (see Item 12)
Results of individual studies 20 For all outcomes considered (benefits or harms), present, for each study: (a) simple summary data for each intervention group, (b) effect estimates and confidence intervals, ideally with a forest plot
Synthesis of results 21

Present the main results of the review. If meta-analyses are done, include for each, confidence intervals and measures of consistency

Updated in accordance with http://prisma-statement.org/PRISMAStatement/Checklist

Risk of bias across studies 22 Present results of any assessment of the risk of bias across studies (see Item 15)
Additional analysis 23 Give results of additional analyses, if done (e.g., sensitivity or subgroup analyses, meta-regression [see Item 16])
Discussion
Summary of evidence 24 Summarize the main findings including the strength of evidence for each main outcome; consider their relevance to key groups (e.g., healthcare providers, users, and policymakers)
Limitations 25 Discuss limitations at study and outcome level (e.g., risk of bias) and at review level (e.g., incomplete retrieval of identified research, reporting bias)
Conclusions 26 Provide a general interpretation of the results in the context of other evidence and implications for future research
Funding
Funding 27 Describe sources of funding for the systematic review and other support (e.g., supply of data); role of funders for the systematic review