Editorial: The Increasing Relevance of Case Reports in Medical Education and Clinical Practice - and How to Write Them.

Abstract

Between 2012 and 2022, the American Journal of Case Reports published over 3,500 case reports and case series. In 2022-23, this journal achieved an impact factor (IF) of 1.2. The significant merits of published case reports include identifying rare diseases and syndromes, treatment complications or side effects, pharmacovigilance, and medical education. The limitations or cautions of the case report include the inability to generalize, the lack of establishment of a cause-effect relationship, and over-interpretation. Historically, new clinical conditions and syndromes have been identified. Since 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted manuscript submissions and publications, as illustrated for this journal. This editorial aims to highlight the importance of case reports and series, recent publication trends and includes recommendations on what to do and what not to do when preparing and writing the manuscript for a case report.