Scientific article
OA Policy
English

Postmortem chemistry update part I

Published inInternational journal of legal medicine, vol. 126, no. 2, p. 187-198
Collection
  • Open Access - Licence nationale Springer
Publication date2012
Abstract

Postmortem chemistry is becoming increasingly essential in the forensic pathology routine and considerable progress has been made over the past years. Biochemical analyses of vitreous humor, cerebrospinal fluid, blood and urine may provide significant information in determining the cause of death or in elucidating forensic cases. Postmortem chemistry may essentially contribute in the determination of the cause of death when the pathophysiological changes involved in the death process cannot be detected by morphological methods (e.g. diabetes mellitus, alcoholic ketoacidosis and electrolytic disorders). It can also provide significant information and useful support in other forensic situations, including anaphylaxis, hypothermia, sepsis and hormonal disturbances. In this article, we present a review of the literature that covers this vast topic and we report the results of our observations. We have focused our attention on glucose metabolism, renal function and electrolytic disorders.

Keywords
  • Biological Markers/analysis
  • Bodily Secretions/chemistry
  • Body Fluids/chemistry
  • C-Peptide/analysis
  • Diabetes Mellitus/diagnosis/metabolism/pathology
  • Diabetic Ketoacidosis/diagnosis/metabolism/pathology
  • Electrolytes/analysis
  • Forensic Pathology/methods
  • Fructosamine/analysis
  • Glucose/metabolism
  • Hemoglobin A
  • Glycosylated/analysis
  • Humans
  • Hyperglycemia/diagnosis/metabolism/pathology
  • Insulin/analysis
  • Ketone Bodies/analysis
  • Kidney Function Tests
  • Postmortem Changes
Citation (ISO format)
PALMIERE, Cristian, MANGIN, Patrice. Postmortem chemistry update part I. In: International journal of legal medicine, 2012, vol. 126, n° 2, p. 187–198. doi: 10.1007/s00414-011-0625-y
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Article (Published version)
accessLevelPublic
Identifiers
Journal ISSN0937-9827
614views
499downloads

Technical informations

Creation19/11/2012 15:20:00
First validation19/11/2012 15:20:00
Update time14/03/2023 20:02:12
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