Improving the quality and transparency of prehospital case reports using CARE

Abstract

Clinical case reports play an important role in supporting evidence-based paramedicine. When research on a topic is limited and there is no robust evidence, a case report may be the best available, especially for rare or unusual presentations or in novel clinical practice. Case reports in paramedicine journals are common. However, adherence to the published consensus-based reporting guideline is rare, which may weaken the evidence arising from this body of case report literature. There is a need for greater awareness of the structured reporting guideline for case reports, and for the development of a paramedicine-specific extension. The objectives of this paper are to: describe the current state of case reports in paramedicine; promote the adoption of an internationally accepted, consensus-based reporting guideline; and propose an extension to that guideline, adapted to the unique characteristics of prehospital practice.