Checklist for lessons of the week

We ask reviewers to consider these points when appraising such papers:

Does the paper answer the following questions:

1. How common is the condition (Should be neither so rare as not really to matter, nor so common that everyone should be well aware of the problem)?
2. How commonly is the condition missed?
3. How serious is it if missed?
4. Will this report contribute to preventing missed cases?
5. Is it a good read?

The ideal lesson of the week would relate to a common condition, which is relatively commonly missed, serious if missed and where the report will help prevent further missed cases. The following exclusion criteria may also be useful:

1. "Cock ups" and delayed diagnosis with no significant clinical consequences
2. Cases where everything possible was done but it ended in disaster anyway
3. Finger pointing ("someone else messed it up and we sorted it out")
4. Single cases of unusual presentations of very rare illnesses