PROSPERO registration for systematic reviews, step by step

Is your review eligible?

• It is a systematic review, with or without meta-analysis.
• It has at least one outcome of direct relevance to human health or health care.
• Data extraction has not started yet.

Scoping reviews and literature reviews are not accepted. Register those on an open registry such as OSF Registries instead, or publish the protocol.

Prepare before you log in

1. A final review question in PICO form (population, intervention or exposure, comparator, outcomes).
2. Your search plan: databases, date limits and a draft search string.
3. Inclusion and exclusion criteria, including study designs.
4. Primary and secondary outcomes, with how and when they are measured.
5. How you will screen, extract data and assess risk of bias, and by how many reviewers.
6. Your synthesis plan: meta-analysis model, heterogeneity, subgroup and sensitivity analyses.
7. Review team names, affiliations and a contact email.

Submitting

Create an account on the PROSPERO website, complete the registration form using your protocol, and submit. The record is checked for eligibility and completeness before it is published with a registration number beginning CRD. Quote this number in your manuscript's abstract and methods.

After registration

• Update the record if your methods change, and explain why.
• Report any differences between the registered plan and the final review in your paper.
• Update the record status when the review is completed and published.

Requirements are revised from time to time. Check the current guidance on the PROSPERO website before you submit.