Diagnostic problems with functional causes of death: Analytical approaches and procedures

Legal Medicine

Volumn 11, Issue SUPPL. 1, 2009, Pages

  Kernbach Wighton, Gerhard ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

Combined diagnostic procedures; Diagnosis "per exclusionem"; Functional causes of death; Post mortem biochemistry

Indexed keywords

CHLORIDE; CREATININE; GLUCOSE; HEMOGLOBIN A1C; KETONE; POTASSIUM; SODIUM; UREA; WATER;

ACCURACY; ACUTE KIDNEY FAILURE; AUTOPSY; BIOCHEMISTRY; BODY FLUID; CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM; CAUSE OF DEATH; CHEMICAL ANALYSIS; CHRONIC KIDNEY FAILURE; DIABETES MELLITUS; DIABETIC COMA; DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURE; ELECTROLYTE BALANCE; EXCITATION; FLUID BALANCE; GLUCOSE BLOOD LEVEL; HUMAN; HYPERINSULINISM; HYPOGLYCEMIA; HYPOTHERMIA; INFORMATION; KIDNEY FUNCTION; LACTIC ACIDOSIS; LIVER FAILURE; LIVER FUNCTION; MORPHOLOGY; RELIABILITY; REVIEW; TOXICOLOGY; URINALYSIS; VITREOUS BODY;

ACIDOSIS, LACTIC; BODILY SECRETIONS; BODY FLUIDS; CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM; DIABETES COMPLICATIONS; FORENSIC PATHOLOGY; HUMANS; HYPOGLYCEMIA; HYPOTHERMIA; KIDNEY FAILURE; LIVER FAILURE; WATER-ELECTROLYTE IMBALANCE;

EID: 67349231979     PISSN: 13446223     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2009.01.075     Document Type: Review

References (41)

1. Kernbach-Wighton G. The diagnosis of functional causes of death. In: Madea B. (Ed). Practice of legal medicine (2003), Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, Tokyo 239-244
2. Kernbach-Wighton G. Possibilities of post-mortem biochemical diagnostics. Starting points, measurement techniques, evaluation and conclusions. Rechtsmedizin 16 (2006) 27-36
3. Madea B., and Musshoff F. Postmortem biochemistry. Forensic Sci Int 165 (2007) 165-171
4. Coe J.I. Use of chemical determinations on vitreous humour in forensic pathology. J Forensic Sci 17 (1972) 541-546
5. Kernbach G., and Brinkmann B. Postmortem patho-biochemistry used for the diagnosis of fatal diabetic coma as cause of death. Pathology 4 (1983) 235-240
6. Kernbach-Wighton G. Post mortem biochemical examinations. In: Brinkmann B., and Madea B. (Eds). Handbook of forensic medicine vol. 1 (2003), Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, Tokyo 1060-1069
7. DiMaio V.J.M., Sturner W.Q., and Coe J.I. Sudden unexpected deaths after the acute onset of diabetes mellitus. J Forensic Sci 22 (1977) 147-151
8. Gormsen H., and Lund A. The diagnostic value of postmortem blood glucose determinations in cases of diabetes mellitus. Forensic Sci Int 28 (1985) 103-107
9. Traub F. Method for the diagnosis of fatal disturbances of glucose metabolism from post mortem findings (diabetes mellitus and hypoglycaemia). Zentralbl Allgemeine Pathol 112 (1969) 390-399
10. Kernbach G., Püschel K., and Brinkmann B. Biochemical measurements of glucose metabolism in relation to cause of death and postmortem effects. Z für Rechtsmedizin 96 (1986) 199-213
11. De Letter E.A., and Piette M.H. Can routinely combined analysis of glucose and lactate in vitreous humour be useful in current forensic practice?. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 19 (1998) 335-342
12. Gagajewski A., Murakami M.M., Kloss J., Edstrom M., Hillyer M., Peterson G.F., et al. Measurement of chemical analytes in vitreous humour: stability and precision studies. J Forensic Sci 49 (2004) 371-374
13. Karlovsek M.Z. Diagnostic values of combined glucose and lactate values in cerebrospinal fluid and vitreous humour-our experiences. Forensic Sci Int 146 Suppl (2004) 19-23
14. Sippel H., and Möttönen M. Combined glucose and lactate values in vitreous humour for post-mortem diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. Forensic Sci Int 19 (1982) 217-222
15. Sturner W.Q., Sullivan A., and Suzuki K. Lactic acid concentrations in vitreous humour: their use in asphyxial deaths in children. J Forensic Sci 28 (1983) 222-230
16. John W.G., Scott K.W.M., and Hawkroft D.M. Glycated haemoglobin and glycated protein and glucose concentration in necropsy blood samples. J Clin Pathol 41 (1988) 415-418
17. Khun H.M., Robinson C.A., Brissie B.M., and Konrad R.J. Post mortem diagnosis of unsuspected diabetes mellitus established by determination of decendent́s haemoglobin A1c level. J Forensic Sci 44 (1999) 643-646
18. Coe J.I. Postmortem chemistry update. Emphasis on forensic application. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 14 (1993) 91-117
19. Brinkmann B., Fechner G., Karger B., and DuChesne A. Ketoacidosis and lactic acidosis - frequent cause of death in chronic alcoholics?. Int J Legal Med 111 (1998) 115-119
20. Osuna E., Garcia-Villora A., and Perez-Carceles M.D. Vitreous humour fructosamine concentrations in the autopsy diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. Int J Legal Med (Tokyo) 112 (1999) 275-279
21. Kernbach-Wighton G., and Püschel K. On the phenomenology of lethal applications of insulin. Forensic Sci Int 93 (1998) 61-73
22. Kernbach-Wighton G., Sprung R., and Püschel K. On the diagnosis of hypoglycaemia in car drivers - including a review of the literature. Forensic Sci Int 115 (2001) 89-94
23. Kernbach-Wighton G., and Püschel K. The evidence of carbohydrate metabolism disturbances in traffic delinquents. Legal Med 5 (2003) 237-239
24. Logemann E., Pollak S., Khalaf A.N., and Petersen K.G. Postmortem diagnosis of exogenous insulin administration. Archiv für Kriminologie 191 (1993) 28-36
25. Winston D.C. Suicide via insulin overdose in nondiabetics: the New Mexico experience. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 21 (2000) 237-240
26. Zhu B.L., Ishikawa T., Michiue T., Tanaka S., Zhao D., Li D.R., et al. Differences in postmortem urea nitrogen, creatinine and uric acid levels between blood and pericardial fluid in acute death. Legal Med (Tokyo) 9 (2007) 115-122
27. Madea B. Post mortem diagnosis of water and electrolyte imbalances. Rechtsmedizin 6 (1996) 141-146
28. Madea B., and Lachenmeier D.W. Postmortem diagnosis of hypertonic dehydration. Forensic Sci Int 155 (2005) 1-6
29. Mulla A., Massey K.L., and Kalra J. Vitreous humour biochemical constituents: evaluation of between-eye differences. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 26 (2005) 146-149
30. Henßge C., Knight B., Krompecher T., Madea B., and Nokes I. The estimation of the time of death in the early postmortem period (1995), Springer, Arnold
31. James R.A., Hoadley P.A., and Sampson B.G. Determination of postmortem interval by sampling vitreous humour. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 18 (1997) 158-162
32. Madea B., Herrmann N., and Henßge C. Precision of estimating the time since death by vitreous potassium - comparison of two different equations. Forensic Sci Int 46 (1990) 277-284
33. Madea B., and Rödig H. Time of death dependent criteria in vitreous humour: accuracy of estimating the time since death. Forensic Sci Int 164 (2006) 87-92
34. Rognum T.O., Hauge S., Oyasaeter S., and Saugstad O.D. A new biochemical method for estimation of postmortem time. Forensic Sci Int 51 (1991) 139-146
35. Zhu B.L., Ishikawa T., Michiue T., Li D.R., Zhao D., Quan L., et al. Postmortem serum catecholamine levels in relation to cause of death. Forensic Sci Int 173 (2007) 122-129
36. Kernbach-Wighton G., and Saternus K.S. On the post mortem diagnosis of hypothermia. In: Oehmichen M. (Ed). Hypothermia. Clinical, pathomorphological and forensic features. Research in legal medicine vol. 31 (2004), Lübeck, Schmidt-Römhild 221-229
37. Kernbach-Wighton G., and Saternus K.S. Postmortem biochemical estimations in cases of fatal hypothermia (catecholamines and volatiles). Rom J Legal Med 15 (2007) 32-38
38. Kernbach-Wighton G., Sprung R., Kijewski H., and Saternus K.S. Maximum excitement and sudden death. In: Saternus K.S., and Kernbach-Wighton G. (Eds). Restraints of excited persons. Sudden death in hospital and custody. Research in legal medicine vol. 28 (2002), Lübeck, Schmidt-Römhild 55-74
39. Kernbach-Wighton G., and Saternus K.S. Post mortem biochemical estimations in cases of lethal high excitation. Rom J Legal Med 14 (2006) 251-261
40. Zhu B.L., Ishikawa T., Michiue T., Li D.R., Zhao D., Oritani S., et al. Postmortem cardiac troponin T levels in the blood and pericardial fluid. Part 1. Analysis with special regard to traumatic causes of death. Legal Med (Tokyo) 8 (2006) 86-93
41. Madea B., Kreuser C., and Banaschak S. Postmortem biochemical examination of synovial fluid-a preliminary study. Forensic Sci Int 118 (2001) 29-35