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Preparing and submitting a jacc case report requires clinical authors to navigate specific editorial standards, standardized reporting frameworks, and patient privacy mandates. Within the American College of Cardiology (ACC) publishing portfolio, clinical case submissions are handled through a dedicated peer-reviewed journal rather than the flagship investigation journal. This guide details the editorial scope, CARE guideline requirements, patient consent protocols, article processing charges, and step-by-step submission procedures for authors targeting JACC: Case Reports.
What Are JACC: Case Reports?
JACC: Case Reports is an international, peer-reviewed, Gold open-access medical journal published by Elsevier for the American College of Cardiology. Launched in June 2019 under founding Editor-in-Chief Dr. Julia Grapsa, the journal provides an educational forum for cardiovascular clinicians, fellows-in-training (FITs), and multidisciplinary cardiac care teams.
When clinicians ask: What are JACC: Case Reports?, the core distinction lies in educational focus. Unlike journals prioritizing large clinical trials, this journal emphasizes clinical problem-solving. It publishes educational clinical cases, case series, electrocardiogram (ECG) challenges, imaging vignettes, and quality improvement reports. Continuous digital publication ensures immediate indexing in PubMed, PubMed Central, Scopus, and the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ).
Who Runs It and What It Covers: Scope and Leadership
The journal is governed by the American College of Cardiology and published by Elsevier Inc. Editorial leadership is directed by Editor-in-Chief Dr. Julia Grapsa alongside an international board covering interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, heart failure, pediatric cardiology, cardiac imaging, and cardiothoracic surgery.
The editorial scope encompasses clinical presentations that provide clear diagnostic or management lessons. Core submission categories include:
- Clinical Cases: Individual case reports illustrating uncommon presentations of common cardiovascular conditions or atypical disease manifestations.
- Clinical Case Series: Focused reports of 2 to 5 related clinical encounters describing emerging management strategies or procedural complications.
- ECG Challenges: Instructive electrophysiological tracings with clinical histories and diagnostic breakdowns.
- Imaging Vignettes: High-resolution multimodal imaging (echocardiography, cardiac MRI, CT, angiography) documenting definitive pathology.
- Global Health and Quality Improvement: Reports highlighting cardiovascular care delivery and clinical decision-making in resource-limited settings.
Every jacc: case report must establish definitive clinical proof. The editorial board requires diagnoses to be confirmed with objective histology, multimodal imaging, or hemodynamic documentation rather than presumptive bedside diagnoses.
How to Prepare and Submit a Case Report: Step-by-Step
Authors submitting to JACC: Case Reports must adhere to author guidelines established by Elsevier and the ACC. The submission workflow follows 7 sequential steps:
- Verify Topic Fit and Novelty: Screen recent journal issues on ScienceDirect to ensure the clinical lesson has not been duplicated. Submissions must offer distinct clinical problem-solving value.
- Apply the CARE Reporting Guidelines: Structure the manuscript according to the 13-item CARE (CAse REport) statement. Complete the official CARE checklist to upload as supplementary material.
- Obtain Written Patient Informed Consent: Obtain signed informed consent for publication from the patient or legal guardian prior to submission. Authors must retain the signed form locally and include a formal declaration in the manuscript confirming consent was obtained. All direct identifiers must be removed.
- Format Manuscript Sections: Structure the text according to journal specifications:
- Title: State the clinical condition and include the words “Case Report” or “Case Series”.
- Abstract: An unstructured abstract of no more than 150 words summarizing the case presentation and takeaway lesson.
- Keywords: Provide 3 to 6 standardized MeSH keywords.
- Learning Objectives: Provide 2 to 3 concise bullet points outlining core educational lessons.
- Body Sections: Organize into History of Presentation, Past Medical History, Differential Diagnosis, Investigations, Management, and Discussion/Follow-up.
- Prepare High-Resolution Figures: Upload clinical imaging and histology in high-resolution TIFF or EPS formats (minimum 300 dpi). Video loops (echocardiography, angiography) must feature clear labels and descriptive legends.
- Submit via the Official JACC Portal: Navigate to the JACC Submit online system (
jaccsubmit-casereports.orgor viajacc.org). Log in with ORCID, input manuscript metadata, upload source files, and attach the CARE checklist. - Track Editorial Evaluation: Monitor manuscript progress through single-anonymous peer-review. Address all reviewer comments with a point-by-point response letter upon revision requests.
Acceptance Rate, Impact Factor, and APC Fees
Evaluating publication options involves assessing costs, indexing, and editorial selectivity:
What Is the Current Acceptance Rate for JACC: Case Reports?
Elsevier and the American College of Cardiology do not publish a static acceptance percentage. Based on editorial disclosures, the estimated acceptance rate is roughly 25% to 35%. Submissions are most frequently rejected for lack of educational novelty, incomplete diagnostic verification, or failure to follow CARE guidelines.
What Is the Impact Factor of the JACC Case Report?
Cardiology authors frequently check the impact factor of the JACC Case Report. As an educational case venue indexed in Web of Science’s Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) and Scopus, JACC: Case Reports maintains a Scopus CiteScore of approximately 1.3 and a SCImago Journal Rank (SJR) of approximately 0.32 (Quartile 3 in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine). Because case vignettes cite at lower rates than clinical trials, its metrics reflect educational utility rather than the 20+ Journal Impact Factor of the flagship JACC.
Article Processing Charges (APC) and Fee Relief
As a Gold Open Access journal, accepted manuscripts incur an article processing charge. The standard list APC for JACC: Case Reports is $850 USD (excluding local sales tax or VAT).
Fee relief options include:
- Research4Life Waivers: Authors from Research4Life Group A countries receive an automatic 100% APC waiver; Group B countries receive a 50% discount.
- Institutional Transformative Agreements: Authors at institutions with Elsevier “Read and Publish” agreements often receive full APC coverage.
- Society Discounts: American College of Cardiology members may qualify for designated promotional discounts during specific campaign windows.
Strengths and Limitations
Authors should balance the journal’s advantages against its operational constraints:
Strengths
- ACC Brand Recognition: Association with the American College of Cardiology delivers high clinical visibility.
- Trainee Mentorship: Editorial policies actively encourage submissions from fellows-in-training and early-career clinicians.
- Broad Indexing: Indexing across PubMed, PubMed Central, Scopus, and DOAJ ensures immediate discoverability.
- Transfer Pathway: Manuscripts submitted to the flagship JACC or sister journals like JACC: Advances that lack trial scale can transfer directly without reformatting.
Limitations
- Mandatory APC: Authors without institutional sponsorship or Research4Life eligibility must cover the $850 fee.
- Modest Citation Velocity: Case reports yield fewer citations than trial manuscripts, resulting in lower traditional metrics.
- Mandatory Consent: Inability to secure written patient consent prevents publication under publisher ethics rules.
Cardiology Case Report Alternatives: Comparative Overview
The following table compares JACC: Case Reports with alternative cardiovascular case report platforms:
| Journal Venue | Publisher / Society | Access Model | Standard APC (USD) | Primary Indexing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JACC: Case Reports | Elsevier / ACC | Gold Open Access | $850 | PubMed, PMC, Scopus, ESCI |
| European Heart Journal – Case Reports | Oxford Univ Press / ESC | Gold Open Access | ~$900–$1,200 | PubMed, PMC, Scopus, ESCI |
| BMJ Case Reports | BMJ Publishing Group | Hybrid / Fellowship | Fellowship / Tiered APC | PubMed, PMC, Scopus |
| Annals of Internal Medicine: Clinical Cases | American College of Physicians | Gold Open Access | ~$800–$1,000 | PubMed, PMC, Scopus |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does JACC accept case reports?
The flagship journal Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) does not publish routine standalone case reports. Standalone cases are routed to its sister publication, JACC: Case Reports, or transferred automatically upon editorial recommendation.
What are JACC: Case Reports?
JACC: Case Reports is a Gold Open Access journal established in 2019 by the American College of Cardiology and Elsevier. It focuses on real-world cardiovascular cases, ECG challenges, imaging vignettes, and educational mentorship for early-career cardiologists.
What is the current acceptance rate for JACC: Case Reports?
While an official static rate is not published, the estimated acceptance rate is roughly 25% to 35%. Submissions must satisfy CARE guidelines, provide verified objective diagnostic proof, and state clear educational takeaways.
What is the impact factor of the JACC Case Report?
Indexed in ESCI and Scopus, JACC: Case Reports holds a Scopus CiteScore of approximately 1.3 and an SJR of roughly 0.32. Its citation profile reflects clinical educational use rather than high-velocity trial citations.
What guidelines must be followed when drafting a JACC case report?
Manuscripts must adhere to the 13-item CARE checklist, feature an unstructured abstract of 150 words or fewer, include 2 to 3 concise learning objectives, provide up to 6 MeSH keywords, and include a formal written patient consent declaration.
Official Sources and References
- Elsevier ScienceDirect: JACC: Case Reports Journal Overview and Guide for Authors (Checked November 2026).
- American College of Cardiology: JACC Journals Portfolio Scope and Editorial Leadership (Checked November 2026).
- CARE Statement: CARE Guidelines for Clinical Case Reports: 13-Item Checklist (Checked November 2026).
- National Library of Medicine (NLM): NLM Catalog Record for JACC: Case Reports (Checked November 2026).
- Elsevier Publishing: Elsevier Open Access Pricing List and Country Waiver Policies (Checked November 2026).
