Importance of case reports in the present world scenario
Anuradha Sharma
AIIMS, India
: Endocrinol Diabetes Res
Abstract
Our knowledge, that “Malaria” and “Syphilis” are ancient diseases is because of their mention in prehistoric literature. Present times will be a turning point in “The History of Mankind.” The Excesses in information technology, environmental changes, world connectivity; the battle between Man and Nature will leave its mark. New diseases will emerge, may be as first warning of a catastrophe. The full translational potential of medical case reports (MCRs) is highly underestimated. This specific kind of article is seldom seen in other non-medical literature. Case reports can provide valuable sources of information for others to learn from. Not only they reinforce clinical knowledge and reasoning skills, reading them is also intellectually stimulating. In recent years, case reports have become a victim of the quest of the impact factor. Because of their low citation value they negatively affect the impact factor. It is safe to say that all individual cases generate evidence as accumulated units of observation. Therefore, they are important global resource to contribute to the expansion of current medical knowledge. The report can be on a new disease, a rare disease, a new diagnostic tool, a new treatment, an adverse event or may be an emerging infectious public threat. Case report database provides a new observation and serves as initial platform to design a research study. Writing case reports is an important academic duty as well as skill with an artistic element. In 1920, Osler, one of the fathers of modern medicine, stated: “Always note and record the unusual. Publish it. Save it on a permanent record as a short, concise note. Such communications are always of value.”
Biography
E-mail: asharma3170@gmail.com
