PRISMA Flow Diagram (Base R) — prisma

Draws a PRISMA-style flow diagram using base graphics, with support for both new reviews and updated reviews.

prisma_diagram(
  counts,
  review_type = c("new", "updated"),
  labels = NULL,
  show_exclusion_boxes = TRUE,
  main = "PRISMA Flow Diagram",
  box_fill = "white",
  box_border = "black",
  arrow_col = "black",
  text_col = "black",
  cex = 0.78,
  cex_main = 1.05,
  main_adj = 0.5,
  main_line = NULL,
  line_lwd = 1.3,
  box_width = 0.36,
  side_box_width = 0.23,
  box_height = 0.085,
  box_gap = 0.045,
  side_gap = 0.05,
  wrap_labels = TRUE,
  font_family = "sans",
  font_face = 1,
  title_font_face = 2,
  arrow_length = 0.055,
  arrow_angle = 22
)

Arguments

counts

Named counts used in the flow diagram. Accepted formats are:

named numeric vector
named list
one-row data frame with named columns

review_type

Type of review flow to draw: "new" or "updated".

labels

Optional named character vector/list to override default box labels. Names must correspond to known flow elements.

show_exclusion_boxes

Logical. If TRUE, displays side exclusion boxes (for example, records excluded at screening).

main

Main plot title.

box_fill

Fill color for boxes.

box_border

Border color for boxes.

arrow_col

Arrow color.

text_col

Text color used inside boxes.

cex

Text size for box labels.

cex_main

Title size.

main_adj

Horizontal title alignment in [0, 1].

main_line

Optional title line. If NULL, default is used.

line_lwd

Line width for box borders and arrows.

box_width

Width of central flow boxes.

side_box_width

Width of side boxes.

box_height

Box height.

box_gap

Vertical gap between central flow boxes.

side_gap

Horizontal gap between central and side boxes.

wrap_labels

Logical. If TRUE, wraps labels to fit box widths.

font_family

Font family used for the diagram text.

font_face

Font face used for box text (1 = plain, 2 = bold).

title_font_face

Font face for the main title.

arrow_length

Arrowhead length.

arrow_angle

Arrowhead angle in degrees.

Value

Invisibly returns a list containing:

counts: Named numeric counts used for plotting (including computed totals for updated reviews).
labels: Named character vector of labels used in the boxes.
review_type: Review type used ("new" or "updated").

Details

The function is intentionally flexible: counts can be a named numeric vector, named list, or one-row data frame.

Examples

new_counts <- c(
  records_identified = 1240,
  records_removed = 210,
  records_screened = 1030,
  records_excluded = 860,
  reports_sought = 170,
  reports_not_retrieved = 14,
  reports_assessed = 156,
  reports_excluded = 120,
  studies_included = 36
)

prisma_diagram(new_counts)


updated_counts <- c(
  records_identified = 420,
  records_removed = 60,
  records_screened = 360,
  records_excluded = 290,
  reports_sought = 70,
  reports_not_retrieved = 6,
  reports_assessed = 64,
  reports_excluded = 50,
  studies_included = 14,
  previous_reports = 80,
  previous_studies = 22
)

prisma_diagram(updated_counts, review_type = "updated")