A Case Report is a detailed report of the symptoms, signs, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of a patient. Case Reports may contain a demographic profile of the patient but usually describes an unusual or novel occurrence.
Step 1: Identify the Category of Your Case Report
Step 2: Select an Appropriate Journal
Step 3: Structure Your Case Report According to the Journal Format
Step 4: Start Writing
Step 5: Collect Information Related to the Case
Step 6: Deciding the Contents of the Case Report
Step 7: Writing the Introduction
Step 8: Patient Data and Case Description
Step 9: Discussion and Conclusion
Step 10: References and Other Formatting
The Stages in Writing a Case Report Can be Summarized as Follows:
Introduction
Content should be brief and less than 3 paragraphs:
- State the purpose of the case report
- Provide background information and pertinent definitions
- Introduce the patient’s case
Patient’s Case Presentation
Ensure that the patient’s case presentation provides enough detail for the reader to establish the case’s validity:
- Patient demographics (age, sex, height, weight, etc.)—avoid patient identifiers (date of birth, initials)
- Patient’s complaints
- Patient’s present illness and medical/family/social/medication history before admission
- Each drug’s name, strength, dosage form, route, and dates of administration
- The completed diagnostic procedures that are pertinent and support the case and their salient results.
- Photographs of histopathology, roentgenograms, electrocardiograms, skin manifestations, or anatomy
- Patient consent and adherence to institutional guidelines
Discussion
Justify the uniqueness of the case in this section:
- Compare and contrast the nuances of the case report with the literature review
- List the limitations of the case report and describe their relevance
- Confirm the accuracy of the descriptive patient case report
- Summarize the salient features of the case report
- Draw recommendations and conclusions
Conclusion
This section should be brief and not exceed one paragraph:
- Provide a justified conclusion
- Provide evidence-based recommendations
- List opportunities for research
We hope you find the information valuable while writing your Case Report. Comment below and let us know your thoughts.