Making the Case for Case Reports

Abstract

This issue of the Philippine Journal of Orthopaedics is notable because it highlights a form of research often belittled and overlooked. It sits at the bottom of the pyramid of scientific evidence and yet forms the basis of many significant discoveries throughout the history of medical practice. I am, of course, referring to the case report. When a case report is published, it is often labelled as level 5 clinical evidence – inferior to almost every other research design, except for animal studies. It should come as no surprise then that case reports receive the fewest citations of all study designs.¹ This begs the question: why write these reports at all? After all, the lack of scientific rigor and anecdotal nature of these articles run contrary to the principles of evidence-based medical practice.