Kasusberättelse

Kasusberättelse, commonly referred to in medical literature as a case report, is a narrative description of a single patient's clinical journey. It documents presenting symptoms, diagnostic process, treatment, and outcome, with emphasis on aspects that are unusual, novel, or educational. The primary purpose is to share clinical observations that may inform or alert clinicians, generate hypotheses for further study, and contribute to medical knowledge in areas where larger studies are lacking.

A kasusberättelse typically includes anonymized patient information, the clinical presentation, relevant investigations and results, the differential diagnosis, the chosen management strategy, and the patient’s course and follow-up. The discussion usually compares the case with existing literature, explains why the case is noteworthy, and highlights learning points for practice. Because it concerns a single case, it is not designed to establish causation or incidence and its findings are not generally generalizable.

Ethical considerations are important: authors should obtain patient consent for publication when possible and ensure privacy is preserved. Kasusberättelser are distinct from case series, which report on multiple patients and provide limited inferential power. They serve as an early-stage form of medical evidence, often inspiring further research into rare diseases, unusual presentations, adverse drug reactions, or novel therapies.