Case Report (Publication)
A published scientific article describing the clinical history, treatment, and outcomes of an individual patient. Case reports represent the lowest level of clinical evidence but can identify rare adverse events, novel uses, or unexpected drug effects that prompt further investigation.
Technical Context
Case reports follow CARE (CAse REport) guidelines: title (key term 'case report'), abstract, introduction (background context), patient information (demographics, medical history), clinical findings, timeline (chronological events), diagnostic assessment, therapeutic interventions, follow-up and outcomes, and discussion (strengths/limitations, rationale for conclusions, relevant literature). For peptide compounds, published case reports may document: first human use of a research peptide (outside formal clinical trials — ethically complex), unexpected adverse reactions to approved peptide drugs (potentially representing new safety signals), novel off-label applications with documented outcomes, and drug interaction discoveries. The British Medical Journal (BMJ) Case Reports and American Journal of Case Reports are high-volume case report outlets. PubMed indexes case reports with the [case reports] publication type filter.