10 cases per variable is advised by one source but this seems rather low for finding likely patterns in patient care.
Dear Ben Bowers when you are talking about the review it means it is the secondary research from a previously conducted study simply follow the previous study in all aspects.
If you are conducting a totally different study you need to find the population under study or the prevalence of a particular problem understudy. If these things are found just use online sample size calculator.
If you are talking about a totally new case 1 single case is sufficient for writing a case report.
If there are many new cases of a totally new same disease that will be a case series what ever a number you found mention as your sample size if the number is huge then consider them as population and apply the same as explained above.
A case review could have a single case or a case series could have from 2 cases to very many. Case report or series depends on the occurrence of a condition in a particular practice or clinic. The cases are described and discussed showing some similarities or differences or outcome. There are no rigours of sample size calculations, odds ratios, p value or prevalence estimations. It is all descriptive research.That is why the level of evidence is low for such studies
One usually collects cases related to a particular phenomenon until they become exhausted or until the author thinks there are enough cases.
So 10 is simply a ball park figure some use but it is not a written convention.
It depends on which country that you are located or what kind magazine that you submit your research. For the magazine, you can write to ask.
I know China requests much higher number than the US for the trial size, especially for the disease that hit more people.
I suggest your selection should be scientific-based.
For instance, consider the average annual statistics of the hospital (inpatient or outpatient, as the case may be). Then, compute sample size. This will give a good representation.
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