Table 1 Problems and guidance about the methodological errors observed in the search by ChatGPT

Domain: Contents

Lack of terms synonymous with the main search term

MEDLINE: it is recommended to insert the main term from the descriptor base (for example: “Bariatric Surgery” [Mesh]) and Entry Terms (for example: “Metabolic Surgery” OR “Metabolic Surgeries” OR “Surgeries, Metabolic” OR “Surgery, Metabolic” OR “Bariatric Surgical Procedures” OR “Bariatric Surgical Procedure” OR “Procedure, Bariatric Surgical” OR “Procedures, Bariatric Surgical” OR “Surgical Procedure, Bariatric” OR “Surgical Procedures, Bariatric” OR “Bariatric Surgeries” OR “Stomach Stapling” OR “Stapling, Stomach”)

Embase.com: it is recommended to enter the command ‘/syn’

Domain: Content

Lack of clinical jargon

It is recommended to use clinical jargon (recognized technical terms not yet indexed by descriptor databases—MeSH. DeCS and Emtree) in search strategies to broaden the evaluation. Example: the term “weight gain” is not indexed in the descriptor databases and is essential for this search strategy because it is the main outcome of the central question

Domain: Structuring

Groups of different acronyms in the same search key

The search strategy should be operationalized in Boolean descriptors considering separate keys for the acronym. Example: obese people could not be listed as an alternative to weight regain

Domain: Content

Additional keywords to the goal of the intervention that was structured by the central question

The search strategy should be operationalized in Boolean descriptors considering separate keys for the acronym. Example: other surgeries with the exception of bariatric surgery are not the object of the central question

Domain: Content

inserting a search deadline

It is recommended that the review be comprehensive, with no time or space restrictions if not justified. Example: In COVID-19, we have a time cutoff of 2020 onwards. However, if we want to research viruses that have caused pandemics, we cannot restrict them

Domain: Content

Lack of validated filter

Strategies are designed to retrieve the studies most likely to meet our methodological criteria, such as the type of study that answers the central question. It is recommended, to filter randomized clinical trials in MEDLINE, to use PubMed Special Queries with the following filter: ((clinical[Title/Abstract] AND trial[Title/Abstract]) OR clinical trials as a topic[MeSH Terms] OR clinical trial[Publication Type] OR random*[Title/Abstract] OR random allocation[MeSH Terms] OR therapeutic use[MeSH Subheading])