The case for the case report: refine to save.
BACKGROUND
The case report is the cornerstone of both medical teaching and writing. However, during recent years the value of the case report has been questioned, so much so that it has been abandoned by many journals. The aim of this study was to assess case reports published by the Irish Journal of Medical Science (IJMS) and to examine ways to preserve this type of article.


METHODS
A review of all single-patient case reports published in the IJMS in 2008 and 2009.


RESULTS
Forty-eight cases were published from nine countries. The range of authors was 2-11, length 525-1,787 words and number of references 4-24. All cases contained abstracts.


CONCLUSIONS
Stricter guidelines with regards to a shorter more focused article should help to preserve this form of publication.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Mid-Western Regional Hospital and University of Limerick Medical School, Limerick, Ireland. paullennon81@gmail.com
P
P
Lennon
J E
JE
Fenton
D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D010506:Periodicals as Topic / Q000639:trends*; D014956:Writing / Q000592:standards*
Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2010 Sep;267(9):1477-81
20532794
J Eval Clin Pract. 1998 May;4(2):147-55
9839641
J R Soc Med. 1995 May;88(5):279P
7636823
AMA Arch Otolaryngol. 1954 Jun;59(6):653-4
13157738
Mar Pollut Bull. 2005 Dec;50(12):1457-8
16274704
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1999 Jun;120(6):787-8
10352427
Ann Intern Med. 2001 Feb 20;134(4):330-4
11182844
Can Respir J. 1999 Sep-Oct;6(5):381
10572204
JAMA. 1995 Dec 13;274(22):1800-4
7500513
Anaesthesia. 2006 May;61(5):419-22
16674612
BMJ. 2004 Jan 3;328(7430):39-41
14703546
Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2005 Mar;16(2):93-4
15787863
BMJ. 2006 Feb 11;332(7537):335-9
16421149
Biomed Imaging Interv J. 2009 Jan;5(1):e4
21611025
J Am Acad Dermatol. 2009 Mar;60(3):412-8
19231639
JAMA. 1998 Jul 15;280(3):219-21
9676660
Ann Intern Med. 1990 Sep 1;113(5):398-402
2200322
J Laryngol Otol. 2002 Jul;116(7):493
12238665
Med Sci Monit. 2008 Oct;14(10):RA149-62
18830205
South Med J. 1990 May;83(5):493-4
2343326
Auris Nasus Larynx. 2004 Sep;31(3):205-7; discussion 207
15364351
JAMA. 1998 Jul 15;280(3):222-4
9676661
J Med Case Rep. 2007 Feb 02;1:1
17411446
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2008 Mar;138(3):261-4
18312868
Med Sci Monit. 2008 Sep;14(9):RA133-43
18758430