Structure of a Case Report

Title

• Present a title that includes, if appropriate, the study design

• List the full names and institutional addresses for all authors

• Indicate the corresponding author

Abstract

• Summarise the case

• The problem it addresses

• Very short, preferably not more than 350 words

• Minimise the use of abbreviations

• Do not cite references int he abstract

• Must include the following separate sections: Background, case presentation and conclusion

Keywords

• Three to ten keywords representing the main content of the article

Introduction/Background

• Explain the background of the case study (Why is the case important?), the aims, and a summary of the existing literature

• Citing relevant literature where necessary

• Introduction generally ends with a single sentence describing the patient and the basic condition that he or she is suffering from

Case

• Patient description

• Case history

• Physical examination results

• Results of pathological tests and other investigations

• Treatment plan

• Expected outcome of the treatment plan

• Actual outcome

Discussion

• Most important part of the case report

• Expand on what was written in the introduction

• Followed by a discussion of existing literature on the topic. This part explains the existing theories and research findings on the key issue of the patient's condition.

• The review should narrow down to the source of confusion or the main challenge in the case

• Case reports should be connected to the existing literature, mentioning the message that the case conveys

• Author should mention if this supports or detracts from current beliefs about the problem and how this evidence can add value to future clinical practice

Conclusion

• Key points covered in the case report

• Provide suggestions and recommendations to clinicians, teachers, or researchers

Declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate

• Include a statement on ethics approval and consent

• Include the name of the ethics committee that approved the study and the committee's reference number if appropriate

Consent for publication

If the manuscript contains information of an individual, then consent for publication must be obtained from the person. All presentations of case reports must have consent for publication.

Availability of data and materials

• The datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study are available in the [NAME] repository, [PERSISTENT WEB LINK TO DATASETS]

• The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

• All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article [and its supplementary information files].

• The datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study are not publicly available due [REASON WHY DATA ARE NOT PUBLIC] but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

• Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

• The data that support the findings of this study are available from [third party name] but restrictions apply to the availability of these data, which were used under license for the current study, and so are not publicly available. Data are however available from the authors upon reasonable request and with permission of [third party name].

• Not applicable. If your manuscript does not contain any data, please state 'Not applicable' in this section.

Competing interests

• All financial and non-financial competing interests must be declared in this section

Funding

• All sources of funding for the research reported should be declared

• Role of funding body in the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and in writing the manuscript should be declared

Authors' contributions

• The individual contributions of authors to the manuscript should be specified in this section.

Acknowledgements

• Provide acknowledgement to anyone who contributed to the report but does not qualify for authorship

Authors' information (optional)

Fun Fact!

• Journal of Medical Case Reports was the world's first international, Pub-Med listed medical journal devoted to publishing case reports from all clinical disciplines and was launched in 2007

Case Report Guidelines

https://www.care-statement.org/

Case Report Structure

https://jmedicalcasereports.biomedcentral.com/submission-guidelines/preparing-your-manuscript/case-report