Checklist for reporting a case report or case series

This checklist is relevant to case reports and case series, and is based on the CARE guidelines.  Read more


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Instructions

Complete this checklist by entering the page numbers from your manuscript where readers will find each of the items listed below.

Your article may not currently address all the items on the checklist. Please modify your text to include the missing information. If you are certain that an item does not apply, please write "n/a" and provide a short explanation.

Download your completed checklist and include it as an extra file when you submit to a journal.

Title

1.

The area of focus and “case report” should appear in the title.

Keywords

2.

Two to five key words that identify topics in this case report.

Abstract

3a

Introduction

What is unique and why is it important?

3b

The patient’s main concerns and important clinical findings.

3c

The main diagnoses, interventions, and outcomes.

3d

Conclusion

What are one or more “take-away” lessons?

Introduction

4.

Briefly summarize why this case is unique with medical literature references.

Patient information

5a

De-identified demographic and other patient information.

5b

Main concerns and symptoms of the patient.

5c

Medical, family, and psychosocial history including genetic information.

5d

Relevant past interventions and their outcomes.

Clinical findings

6.

Relevant physical examination (PE) and other clinical findings.

Timeline

7.

Relevant data from this episode of care organized as a timeline (figure or table).

Diagnostic assessment

8a

Diagnostic methods (PE, laboratory testing, imaging, surveys).

8b

Diagnostic challenges.

8c

Diagnostic reasoning including differential diagnosis.

8d

Prognostic characteristics when applicable.

Therapeutic Intervention

9a

Types of intervention (pharmacologic, surgical, preventive).

9b

Administration of intervention (dosage, strength, duration).

9c

Changes in the interventions with explanations.

Follow up and outcomes

10a

Clinician and patient-assessed outcomes when appropriate.

10b

Important follow-up diagnostic and other test results.

10c

Intervention adherence and tolerability (how was this assessed)?

10d

Adverse and unanticipated events.

Discussion

11a

Strengths and limitations in your approach to this case.

11b

Discussion of the relevant medical literature.

11c

The rationale for your conclusions.

11d

The primary “take-away” lessons from this case report.

Patient perspective

12.

The patient can share their perspective on their case.

Informed consent

13.

The patient should give informed consent.


To acknowledge this checklist in your methods, please state "We used the CARE checklist when writing our report [citation]". Then cite this checklist as Gagnier JJ, Kienle G, Altman DG, Moher D, Sox H, Riley D; the CARE Group. The CARE Guidelines: Consensus-based Clinical Case Reporting Guideline Development.


The CARE checklist is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CC-BY-NC