The patient above all else: Introducing JCSM Clinical Reports A legitimate crown princess, daughter of the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle

Abstract

The patient above all else. Because it is the patient and the clinics that truely drive physician scientists and that are the heart of a clinical journal. The apt title given to JCSM Clinical Reports hence indicates a clear dedication to cachexia, sarcopenia and body composition in the clinical setting. As the legitimate daughter of the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle (JCSM), JCSM Clinical Reports focuses on the physiological and pathophysiological changes of body composition during the lifespan and in response to different illnesses from all fields of the life sciences.

Ever since its first appearance in September 2010, our mother JCSM has cultivated to offer a reliable resource to all professionals who are interested in research related to cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle or who are involved in the clinical care of affected patients. Within only few years and following the strict ethical guidelines for authorship and publishing in JCSM [1], JCSM's authors and editorial board have not only reached an inaugural impact factor of 7.413 for 2013, but have further increased the impact factor 7.883 by 2015. JCSM's noteworthy success story not only underlines the community's interest in this research field, but also JCSM's tremendous and substantiated relevance to the field [2].

As part of the editorial group responsible for this project, we first of all want to pay special tribute to our mother journal JCSM, to whom we owe our name and spirit. Second, JCSM Clinical Reports is grateful to stand in the tradition of novel ideas, cutting-edge research and quality publishing as incorporated by our senior consulting editors Stefan D. Anker (Germany) and Andrew Coats (Australia).

“There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots, the other, wings” the German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe has been quoted. Hence, the mission of this crown princess is clear: first, do not forget where you come from, and second, strive for the stars. Within the family of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, JCSM Clinical Reports hopes to not only help in clinical decision making, but in serving as a source of clinical information and case reports as well. Much like our sibling and other contemporary publications JCSM Clinical Reports will be 2.0 Journal: online, peer-reviewed and international. We embrace a full open-access culture, meaning immediate and free availability to read, download and share [3]. We see JCSM Clinical Reports amongst other peer and rival Journals from General & Internal Medicine, Nutrition & Dietetics as well as Geriatrics & Gerontology (Table 1) and aim to close the gap of unmet clinical needs and applications.

JCSM Clinical Reports wants to reach out to a growing community of researchers and clinicians, serving authors for whom a specialized readership is a primary audience. The endeavor of this Journal is born out of sincere scientific curiosity on the one hand and a clear clinical focus on the other. The patients above all else - this is not only the mission statement of a Clinical Reports Journal. It means bringing the patient, the care and the clinics centre stage. We promise to keep this focus and make JCSM Clinical Reports informative, interesting and modern.

Let us start working and hope that, together, we can succeed in these ambitions.