How to Create a Clinical Timeline for a Case Report

A clinical timeline sets out the key events of the case in order, using dates or relative times, so readers can see the sequence of symptoms, tests, treatments and outcomes. The CARE guideline asks for a timeline, and it often reveals gaps or errors in the story.

What to include

• Onset of symptoms and key changes.
• Visits and admissions.
• Tests and their results (summary).
• Treatments started, changed or stopped.
• Complications and adverse events.
• Outcome and follow-up points.

Format options

• Table: columns for time, event and (optionally) source or result. Simple and accepted by all journals.
• Figure: a horizontal line with labelled events; suits complex courses.
• Annotated chart: for example laboratory values over time with treatment markers.

How to build one

1. Extract events and dates from the record.
2. Convert dates to relative times (day 0, week 2, month 6) to protect privacy.
3. Sort in order and check for inconsistencies.
4. Group events in phases if the course is long.
5. Check with the clinical team.
6. Choose the format that the journal accepts, and add a short caption.

MRN's free case report template includes a timeline table.

Illustrative example

Invented for teaching. Day 0: new antibiotic started. Day 5: fever 38.5 °C. Day 8: diffuse rash. Day 9: admitted; antibiotic stopped. Day 10: eosinophils 1.8 × 10⁹/L. Day 12: corticosteroid started. Day 21: rash resolved. (Invented case.)

Checking the timeline

Compare the timeline with the clinical notes line by line and ask a colleague involved in the case to confirm it. Look for events that seem out of order, treatments that overlap, and results that could not have been available on the day listed. If you discover discrepancies, fix the record you are using as a source and note any uncertainty in the text, for example "the exact day of onset was not recorded".

Common pitfalls

• Using exact dates that could identify the patient.
• Missing the dates of treatment changes.

Key takeaways

• A timeline makes the story clear and checkable.
• Use relative times and a simple format.

This page is general educational information about research methods. It is not medical, legal or regulatory advice; follow your institution's ethics board and your target journal's instructions.