PRISMA
Pronunciation: PRIZ-muh
Also written as: PRISMA — Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses; a reporting guideline providing a minimum set of items for transparent reporting of systematic reviews.
Full Definition
PRISMA is an evidence-based reporting guideline consisting of a checklist and flow diagram designed to help authors report systematic reviews and meta-analyses transparently and completely. The PRISMA 2020 update introduced revised items covering registration, protocol availability, search strategies, and risk-of-bias assessment. In dental research manuscripts, editors should verify that a PRISMA flow diagram accompanies any systematic review, that the checklist is submitted as supplementary material, and that terminology such as 'identification', 'screening', 'eligibility', and 'inclusion' is used consistently with the PRISMA framework. PRISMA extensions exist for specific review types (e.g., PRISMA-P for protocols, PRISMA-NMA for network meta-analyses) and should not be used interchangeably. Editors must not confuse PRISMA with CONSORT, which governs randomised trial reporting.
Usage
Usage note: Always specify the version (e.g., PRISMA 2020) as earlier iterations are now superseded. Do not use 'PRISMA' to refer to PROSPERO registration.
In Context
- "Authors must submit a completed PRISMA 2020 checklist alongside the systematic review manuscript." — Journal submission guidelines
- "The PRISMA flow diagram indicated that 14 studies met the final inclusion criteria after full-text review." — Results section of a systematic review