Reporting Guidelines and Study Registration

Authors should use the reporting guideline appropriate to their study design and submit relevant checklists and flow diagrams. Examples include CONSORT for randomized trials, STROBE for observational studies, PRISMA for systematic reviews, STARD for diagnostic accuracy studies, TRIPOD and applicable extensions for prediction models, COREQ or SRQR for qualitative research, CARE for case reports, and ARRIVE for animal research. A reporting checklist does not replace sound study design or ethical approval.

Clinical trials

Clinical trials must be registered in an appropriate public registry before enrollment of the first participant. Provide the registry name, registration identifier, registration date and first enrollment date. Disclose delayed registration and explain it; retrospective registration must not be described as prospective. Editorial assessment will consider registration timing and applicable standards.

Evidence syntheses and protocols

For systematic reviews, provide protocol registration or a publicly accessible protocol where available, and explain material deviations. Report databases, complete search strategies, search dates, eligibility criteria, selection methods, risk-of-bias assessment and synthesis methods. Clearly distinguish planned methods from decisions made after inspecting results.