Case report and case series

Abstract

Case reports/series are the basic types of descriptive epidemiologic studies. The distinction between case reports and case series on the one hand, and case series and descriptive/analytic epidemiologic studies, on the other hand, is not sharp. History of medicine has demonstrated how case reports/series had generated or furthered medical knowledge in many situations. External validity and novelty are the key advantages of these studies. They act as ‘screening studies’ for deductive epidemiological research. Case reports/series are fraught with biases and lack of strength of evidence to inform clinical decision making. To generate evidence-based information, authors of case reports/series should give attention to the guidelines for maintaining of methodological rigour.