Literature searching serves as the cornerstone of systematic reviews (SRs), yet the quality of its reporting has long been inadequate, severely compromising the transparency and reproducibility of research. As an extension to PRISMA 2020, PRISMA-S (PRISMA for Searching) provides a dedicated 16-item checklist to standardize the reporting of literature searches. This paper aims to provide a systematic interpretation of PRISMA-S for a Chinese-speaking audience. Based on the original publication, it not only elaborates on the rationale and requirements of each checklist item but also further explores the guideline's cross-disciplinary applicability, its inherent limitations as a "reporting guideline" and offers practical recommendations for challenges in local application, such as reporting searches in Chinese databases. The goal is to offer a clear and practical guide for Chinese researchers, journal editors, and peer reviewers, thereby enhancing the reporting quality of the literature search component in SRs and promoting the standardization and internationalization of research in China.
Citation： ZHENG Qingyong, ZHOU Yongjia, TIAN Chen, XU Jianguo, LI Tengfei, ZHANG Mengjun, CHENG Luying, LIU Ming, GAO Ya, GE Long, ZHANG Junhua, TIAN Jinhui. Interpretation of PRISMA statement for reporting literature searches in systematic reviews (PRISMA-S). Chinese Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine, 2026, 26(4): 485-491. doi: 10.7507/1672-2531.202504140 Copy
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