Case Report Manuscript Checker

Validate case report manuscripts against CARE guidelines, patient consent requirements, timeline documentation, and journal submission standards.

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Case report publishing requirements

Case reports are the most frequently published article type in clinical medicine, describing unusual presentations, novel treatments, or rare conditions in individual patients. Despite appearing simple, case reports have strict requirements: CARE (CAse REport) guidelines specify 13 checklist items, patient consent must be explicitly documented, clinical timelines must be formatted clearly, and follow-up outcomes should be reported. Many case reports are desk-rejected for missing consent statements, incomplete timelines, or failure to discuss differential diagnoses. CheckMyManuscript validates case report manuscripts against CARE guidelines and common journal requirements.

Case report checks

CARE checklist compliance

Validate your case report against the 13-item CARE checklist.

Patient consent statement

Verify that written informed consent for publication is explicitly documented.

Clinical timeline

Check that dates of presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up are clearly documented.

Differential diagnosis

Flag if differential diagnosis discussion is missing.

Follow-up and outcomes

Verify patient outcomes and follow-up duration are reported.

Literature context

Check that the case is positioned within existing literature with appropriate citations.

Checks relevant to this topic

Part of our 80+ automated checks

CARE compliance

Key CARE checklist items addressed in manuscript.

Patient consent

Written informed consent for publication documented.

Clinical timeline

Key dates and events reported chronologically.

Differential diagnosis

Alternative diagnoses discussed.

Follow-up reported

Patient outcomes and follow-up period documented.

The practical edge your peers already use

Across disciplines and career stages, researchers reduce bottlenecks and submit with confidence: clearer drafts, easier guideline compliance, and less back and forth with co‑authors and reviewers.

I use it to review my students' papers. It instantly highlights typos, missing references, and unclear sections, helping me focus my feedback on the quality of the research instead of surface errors.

Ilyass, Professor in Mechanical Engineering, ÉTS Montréal

Ilyass

Professor in Mechanical Engineering, ÉTS Montréal

I relied on it throughout my thesis to strengthen my writing. It suggested clearer phrasing, improved flow between sections, and ensured my references were complete before the final deadline.

Manon, Master's Student in Speech Therapy

Manon

Master's Student in Speech Therapy

I write research in both Portuguese and English, and it adapts perfectly to either language. It provided precise feedback in Portuguese, helping me maintain academic tone and consistency across my drafts.

Afonso, PhD Candidate, UFPE

Afonso

PhD Candidate, UFPE

It gave excellent advice on how to rephrase and present ideas more clearly and concisely. The suggestions helped me refine my arguments and make my research more impactful.

Félix, Postdoc Researcher, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology

Félix

Postdoc Researcher, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology

A round of suggestions helped to generally refine the text of my paper and, moreover, to present some of its key points in a more focused form.

Oleg, Professor, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University

Oleg

Professor, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University

I use it to review my students' papers. It instantly highlights typos, missing references, and unclear sections, helping me focus my feedback on the quality of the research instead of surface errors.

Ilyass, Professor in Mechanical Engineering, ÉTS Montréal

Ilyass

Professor in Mechanical Engineering, ÉTS Montréal

I relied on it throughout my thesis to strengthen my writing. It suggested clearer phrasing, improved flow between sections, and ensured my references were complete before the final deadline.

Manon, Master's Student in Speech Therapy

Manon

Master's Student in Speech Therapy

I write research in both Portuguese and English, and it adapts perfectly to either language. It provided precise feedback in Portuguese, helping me maintain academic tone and consistency across my drafts.

Afonso, PhD Candidate, UFPE

Afonso

PhD Candidate, UFPE

It gave excellent advice on how to rephrase and present ideas more clearly and concisely. The suggestions helped me refine my arguments and make my research more impactful.

Félix, Postdoc Researcher, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology

Félix

Postdoc Researcher, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology

A round of suggestions helped to generally refine the text of my paper and, moreover, to present some of its key points in a more focused form.

Oleg, Professor, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University

Oleg

Professor, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University

Frequently asked questions

CARE (CAse REport) guidelines provide a 13-item checklist for transparent reporting of case reports. Items include patient information, clinical findings, timeline, diagnostic assessment, therapeutic interventions, follow-up, and patient perspective. Most medical journals require CARE compliance.

Yes. Virtually all journals require written informed consent from the patient (or legal guardian) for case report publication, even when the patient is anonymized. Our checker flags when a consent statement is missing.

Most journals limit case reports to 1,500–3,000 words with 15–30 references. Some journals have specific case report templates. Always check the target journal's Instructions for Authors for exact limits.