In the laboratory, we produce thousands of test results every day. It can be easy to forget that each sample has a patient's story behind it, in which the Haematology result that we see is often only the tip of the iceberg. Case studies are a good way of unraveling that story, and at the same time learning about a condition or disease in a different and hopefully interesting way.
A case study is a standard format for recounting the story of a specific case. A case study should have the following format:
Case History
Begin by describing the way in which the patient came to be seen by a doctor. Describe their symptoms, history and some haematological results. In cases where clinical details are elaborate, you may want to simplify them to ensure your audience can understand. You can use tables to present data.
Then go on to describe the haematological abnormalities and what they mean. Give the diagnosis and explain how this was decided upon - are there any other conditions which could give rise to the patient's symptoms? How could the diagnosis be confirmed by other tests?
If the patient underwent any treatment, describe this. Why was this treatment selected?
Discussion
Describe the disease itself - incidence, clinical features, likely progression, typical haematological presentation etc.
Describe the cause of the disease and any biochemical pathways involved. Why do the haematological abnormalities described occur?
Describe the treatment options available and the likely outcome for these patients.
Is there any research currently taking place in this field / are there any future developments likely?