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Forensic biomarkers of lethal traumatic brain injury. Int J Legal Med 2022; 136:871-886. [PMID: 35226180 PMCID: PMC9005436 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-022-02785-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
AbstractTraumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and its accurate diagnosis is an important concern of daily forensic practice. However, it can be challenging to diagnose TBI in cases where macroscopic signs of the traumatic head impact are lacking and little is known about the circumstances of death. In recent years, several post-mortem studies investigated the possible use of biomarkers for providing objective evidence for TBIs as the cause of death or to estimate the survival time and time since death of the deceased. This work systematically reviewed the available scientific literature on TBI-related biomarkers to be used for forensic purposes. Post-mortem TBI-related biomarkers are an emerging and promising resource to provide objective evidence for cause of death determinations as well as survival time and potentially even time since death estimations. This literature review of forensically used TBI-biomarkers revealed that current markers have low specificity for TBIs and only provide limited information with regards to survival time estimations and time since death estimations. Overall, TBI fatality-related biomarkers are largely unexplored in compartments that are easily accessible during autopsies such as urine and vitreous humor. Future research on forensic biomarkers requires a strict distinction of TBI fatalities from control groups, sufficient sample sizes, combinations of currently established biomarkers, and novel approaches such as metabolomics and mi-RNAs.
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Chen L, Jiang H, Xing G, Guan B, Yang Y, Ahmed A, Ma X. Effects of Yunanan Baiyao adjunct therapy on postoperative recovery and clinical prognosis of patients with traumatic brain injury: A randomized controlled trial. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2021; 89:153593. [PMID: 34182194 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Effective therapies are needed to prevent the secondary injury and poor prognosis associated with emergency craniotomy of traumatic brain injury (TBI). HYPOTHESIS/PURPOSE The wound-healing medicine Yunnan Baiyao (YB) and Xingnaojing (XNJ) adjunct-therapy may improve the outcome of orthodox mono-therapy (OT). STUDY DESIGN Randomized controlled trial. METHODS Eighty patients with moderate-to-severe TBI received emergency craniotomy (within 12 h after TBI) at the Chinese PLA General Hospital before being randomly assigned to 4 different treatments (n = 20) for 7 days: 1) OT; 2) OT+XNJ (i.v. 20 ml/daily); 3) OT+low dose-YB (oral, 1,000 mg/day); 4) OT+high dose-YB, 2,000 mg/day). RESULTS GCS score was improved more quickly and became significantly higher in XNJ, l-YB, h-YB groups than in OT group (p<0.01). Serum S100B peaked higher but declined more slowly in OT group than in other groups (p<0.01). On postoperative Day 7, S100B was 20% below baseline in YB and XNJ groups but remained 19% above baseline in OT group which also lost 38% of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity on Day 3 and recovered 69% of SOD on Day 7 whereas the YB and XNJ groups lost 16%∼23% of SOD activity on Day 3 and recovered 92%∼99% of SOD on Day 7 (p<0.01). Clinical prognosis (Glasgow Outcome Scale and Karnofsky Performance Scale) were significantly better (25%∼30%) in the XNJ, l-YB and h-YB groups than in OT group 3 months post-surgery and were correlated with serum S100B and SOD. CONCLUSIONS YB and XNJ adjunct therapies improved postoperative recovery and clinical prognosis in patients with moderate-to-severe TBI partly through divergent regulation of S100B and SOD pathways. (The trial was registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) trial registration number: ChiCTR2000030280).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lifeng Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, The first Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Hongzhen Jiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The first Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Guoqiang Xing
- The Affiliated Hospital and the Second Clinical Medical College of North Sichuan Medical University, Nanchong Central Hospital, Nanchong 637000, China; Lotus Biotech.com LLC, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878, Uinted States.
| | - Bing Guan
- Department of Health Economics, The first Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Anwar Ahmed
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814-4799, United States.
| | - Xiaodong Ma
- Department of Neurosurgery, The first Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
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Barranco R, Bonsignore A, Ventura F. Immunohistochemistry in postmortem diagnosis of acute cerebral hypoxia and ischemia: A systematic review. Medicine (Baltimore) 2021; 100:e26486. [PMID: 34160462 PMCID: PMC8238305 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000026486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND : Discovery of evidence of acute brain ischemia or hypoxia and its differentiation from agonal hypoxia represents a task of interest but extremely difficult in forensic neuropathology. Generally, more than 50% of forensic autopsies indicate evidence of brain induced functional arrest of the organ system, which can be the result of a hypoxic/ischemic brain event. Even if the brain is the target organ of hypoxic/ischemic damage, at present, there are no specific neuropathological (macroscopic and histological) findings of hypoxic damage (such as in drowning, hanging, intoxication with carbon monoxide) or acute ischemia. In fact, the first histological signs appear after at least 4 to 6 hours. Numerous authors have pointed out how an immunohistochemical analysis could help diagnose acute cerebral hypoxia/ischemia.Data sources: This review was based on articles published in PubMed and Scopus databases in the past 25 years, with the following keywords "immunohistochemical markers," "acute cerebral ischemia," "ischemic or hypoxic brain damage," and "acute cerebral hypoxia". OBJECTIVES : Original articles and reviews on this topic were selected. The purpose of this review is to analyze and summarize the markers studied so far and to consider the limits of immunohistochemistry that exist to date in this specific field of forensic pathology. RESULTS : We identified 13 markers that had been examined (in previous studies) for this purpose. In our opinion, it is difficult to identify reliable and confirmed biomarkers from multiple studies in order to support a postmortem diagnosis of acute cerebral hypoxia/ischemia. Microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) is the most researched marker in the literature and the results obtained have proven to be quite useful. CONCLUSION Immunohistochemistry has provided interesting and promising results, but further studies are needed in order to confirm and apply them in standard forensic practice.
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Zwirner J, Lier J, Franke H, Hammer N, Matschke J, Trautz F, Tse R, Ondruschka B. GFAP positivity in neurons following traumatic brain injuries. Int J Legal Med 2021; 135:2323-2333. [PMID: 34114049 PMCID: PMC8523453 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-021-02568-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is a well-established astrocytic biomarker for the diagnosis, monitoring and outcome prediction of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Few studies stated an accumulation of neuronal GFAP that was observed in various brain pathologies, including traumatic brain injuries. As the neuronal immunopositivity for GFAP in Alzheimer patients was shown to cross-react with non-GFAP epitopes, the neuronal immunopositivity for GFAP in TBI patients should be challenged. In this study, cerebral and cerebellar tissues of 52 TBI fatalities and 17 controls were screened for immunopositivity for GFAP in neurons by means of immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. The results revealed that neuronal immunopositivity for GFAP is most likely a staining artefact as negative controls also revealed neuronal GFAP staining. However, the phenomenon was twice as frequent for TBI fatalities compared to non-TBI control cases (12 vs. 6%). Neuronal GFAP staining was observed in the pericontusional zone and the ipsilateral hippocampus, but was absent in the contralateral cortex of TBI cases. Immunopositivity for GFAP was significantly correlated with the survival time (r = 0.306, P = 0.015), but no correlations were found with age at death, sex nor the post-mortem interval in TBI fatalities. This study provides evidence that the TBI-associated neuronal immunopositivity for GFAP is indeed a staining artefact. However, an absence post-traumatic neuronal GFAP cannot readily be assumed. Regardless of the particular mechanism, this study revealed that the artefact/potential neuronal immunopositivity for GFAP is a global, rather than a regional brain phenomenon and might be useful for minimum TBI survival time determinations, if certain exclusion criteria are strictly respected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johann Zwirner
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. .,Institute of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. .,Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Julia Lier
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Heike Franke
- Rudolf Boehm Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Niels Hammer
- Institute of Macroscopic and Clinical Anatomy, University of Graz, Graz, Austria.,Department of Trauma, Orthopedic and Plastic Surgery, University Hospital of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jakob Matschke
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Florian Trautz
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Rexon Tse
- Department of Forensic Pathology, LabPLUS, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Benjamin Ondruschka
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
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Metabolomics improves the histopathological diagnosis of asphyxial deaths: an animal proof-of-concept model. Sci Rep 2021; 11:10102. [PMID: 33980966 PMCID: PMC8115104 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89570-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The diagnosis of mechanical asphyxia remains one of the most difficult issues in forensic pathology. Asphyxia ultimately results in cardiac arrest (CA) and, as there are no specific markers, the differential diagnosis of primitive CA and CA secondary to asphyxiation relies on circumstantial details and on the pathologist experience, lacking objective evidence. Histological examination is currently considered the gold standard for CA post-mortem diagnosis. Here we present the comparative results of histopathology versus those previously obtained by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomics in a swine model, originally designed for clinical purposes, exposed to two different CA causes, namely ventricular fibrillation and asphyxia. While heart and brain microscopical analysis could identify the damage induced by CA without providing any additional information on the CA cause, metabolomics allowed the identification of clearly different profiles between the two groups and showed major differences between asphyxiated animals with good and poor outcomes. Minute-by-minute plasma sampling allowed to associate these modifications to the pre-arrest asphyxial phase showing a clear correlation to the cellular effect of mechanical asphyxia reproduced in the experiment. The results suggest that metabolomics provides additional evidence beyond that obtained by histology and immunohistochemistry in the differential diagnosis of CA.
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Arrais AC, Melo LHMF, Norrara B, Almeida MAB, Freire KF, Melo AMMF, Oliveira LCD, Lima FOV, Engelberth RCGJ, Cavalcante JDS, Araújo DPD, Guzen FP, Freire MAM, Cavalcanti JRLP. S100B protein: general characteristics and pathophysiological implications in the Central Nervous System. Int J Neurosci 2020; 132:313-321. [DOI: 10.1080/00207454.2020.1807979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cristina Arrais
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Mossoró, RN, Brazil
| | - Lívia Helena M. F. Melo
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Mossoró, RN, Brazil
| | - Bianca Norrara
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Mossoró, RN, Brazil
| | - Marina Abuquerque B. Almeida
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Mossoró, RN, Brazil
| | - Kalina Fernandes Freire
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Mossoró, RN, Brazil
| | - Acydalia Madruga M. F. Melo
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Mossoró, RN, Brazil
| | - Lucidio Clebeson de Oliveira
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Mossoró, RN, Brazil
| | - Francisca Overlânia Vieira Lima
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Mossoró, RN, Brazil
| | - Rovena Clara G. J. Engelberth
- Laboratory of Neurochemical Studies, Department of Physiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Jeferson de Souza Cavalcante
- Laboratory of Neurochemical Studies, Department of Physiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Dayane Pessoa de Araújo
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Mossoró, RN, Brazil
| | - Fausto Pierdoná Guzen
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Mossoró, RN, Brazil
| | - Marco Aurelio M. Freire
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Mossoró, RN, Brazil
| | - José Rodolfo L. P. Cavalcanti
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Mossoró, RN, Brazil
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Ondruschka B, Woydt L, Bernhard M, Franke H, Kirsten H, Löffler S, Pohlers D, Hammer N, Dreßler J. Post-mortem in situ stability of serum markers of cerebral damage and acute phase response. Int J Legal Med 2018; 133:871-881. [PMID: 30167776 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-018-1925-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Accepted: 08/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the given study was to test the in situ stability of biochemical markers of cerebral damage and acute phase response in the early post-mortem interval to assess their usability for forensic pathology. A monocentric, prospective study investigated post-mortem femoral venous blood samples at four time points obtained within 48 h post-mortem starting at the death of 20 deceased, using commercial immunoassays for the ten parameters: S100 calcium-binding protein B (S100B), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), ferritin, soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor type 1 (sTNFR1), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Significant changes in serum levels were observed only later than 2 h after death for all markers. Inter-laboratory comparability was high, and intra-assay precision was sufficient for most markers. Most of the biomarker levels depended on the severity of hemolysis and lipemia but were robust against freeze-thaw cycles. Serum levels increased with longer post-mortem intervals for S100B, NSE, ferritin, sTNFR1, and LDH (for all p < 0.001) but decreased over this period for CRP (p = 0.089) and PCT (p < 0.001). Largely unchanged median values were found for GFAP (p = 0.139), BDNF (p = 0.106), and IL-6 (p = 0.094). Serum levels of CRP (p = 0.059) and LDH (p = 0.109) did not differ significantly between the final ante-mortem (resuscitation) and the first post-mortem sample (moment of death). Collecting the post-mortem blood sample as soon as possible will reduce the influence of post-mortem blood changes. Serum GFAP for detection of cerebral damage as well as serum IL-6 and CRP as proof of acute phase response seemed to be preferable due to their in situ stability in the first 2 days after death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Ondruschka
- Medical Faculty, Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 28, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Lina Woydt
- Medical Faculty, Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 28, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Michael Bernhard
- Emergency Department, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Heike Franke
- Rudolf Boehm Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Holger Kirsten
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,LIFE Center (Leipzig Interdisciplinary Research Cluster of Genetic Factors, Phenotypes and Environment), University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sabine Löffler
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Dirk Pohlers
- Center of Diagnostics GmbH, Klinikum Chemnitz, Chemnitz, Germany
| | - Niels Hammer
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.,Department of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, University Hospital of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jan Dreßler
- Medical Faculty, Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 28, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
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Spinelli J, Byard RW, Van Den Heuvel C, Collins-Praino LE. Medullary Astrogliosis in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Varies With Sleeping Environment: Evidence for Different Mechanisms of Death in Alone Versus Co-sleepers? J Child Neurol 2018; 33:269-274. [PMID: 29357731 DOI: 10.1177/0883073817750498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Sudden infant death syndrome remains the leading cause of death in infants under 1 year, and underlying pathophysiological mechanisms are poorly understood. The current study investigated the hypothesis that co-sleepers die more rapidly from causes such as suffocation from overlaying by comparing levels of reactive astrogliosis in the medulla of infants who died sleeping alone to those who died co-sleeping. The amount of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) staining in alone sleepers was significantly higher than shared sleepers in 3 specific areas of the medulla, the inferior vestibular nucleus, the medial vestibular nucleus and the cochlear nucleus. Given that glial fibrillary acidic protein elevations follow a delayed time course, this suggests that death in co-sleepers was more rapid, not allowing for reactive gliosis to occur. This provides evidence of pathological differences in mechanisms of death in infants who are classified as having died from sudden infant death syndrome, suggesting potential need for refinement of categorization of these cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jade Spinelli
- 1 Discipline of Anatomy and Pathology, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Roger W Byard
- 1 Discipline of Anatomy and Pathology, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Corinna Van Den Heuvel
- 1 Discipline of Anatomy and Pathology, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Lyndsey E Collins-Praino
- 1 Discipline of Anatomy and Pathology, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
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Krohn M, Dreßler J, Bauer M, Schober K, Franke H, Ondruschka B. Immunohistochemical investigation of S100 and NSE in cases of traumatic brain injury and its application for survival time determination. J Neurotrauma 2015; 32:430-40. [PMID: 25211554 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2014.3524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The availability of markers able to provide insight into protein changes in the central nervous system after fatal traumatic brain injury (TBI) is limited. The present study reports on the semi-quantitative assessments of the immunopositive neuroglial cells (both astrocytes and oligodendrocytes) and neurons for S100 protein (S100), as well as neuronal specific enolase (NSE), in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum with regard to survival time and cause of death. Brain tissues of 47 autopsy cases with TBI (survival times ranged between several minutes and 34 d) and 10 age- and gender-matched controls (natural deaths) were examined. TBI cases were grouped according to their survival time in acute death after brain injury (ABI, n = 25), subacute death after brain injury (SBI, n = 18) and delayed death after brain injury (DBI, n = 4). There were no significant changes in the percentages of S100-stained astrocytes between TBI and control cases. The percentages of S100-positive oligodendrocytes in the pericontusional zone (PCZ) in cases with SBI were significantly lower than in controls (p < 0.05) and in the ABI group (p < 0.05). In the hippocampus, S100-positive oligodendrocytes were significantly lower in cases with ABI and SBI (both, p < 0.05), compared with controls. It is of particular interest that there were also S100-positive neurons in the PCZ and hippocampus in TBI cases after more than 2 h survival but not in ABI cases or controls. The percentages of NSE-positive neurons in the hippocampus were likewise significantly lower in cases with ABI, compared with controls (p < 0.05) but increased in cases with SBI in PCZ (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the present findings emphasize that S100 and NSE-immunopositivity might be useful for detecting the cause and process of death due to TBI. Further, S100-positivity in neurons may be helpful to estimate the survival time of fatal injuries in legal medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Krohn
- 1 Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Leipzig , Germany
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10
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Ishikawa T, Inamori-Kawamoto O, Quan L, Michiue T, Chen JH, Wang Q, Zhu BL, Maeda H. Postmortem urinary catecholamine levels with regard to the cause of death. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2014; 16:344-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2014.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2014] [Revised: 06/25/2014] [Accepted: 07/21/2014] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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Maeda H, Ishikawa T, Michiue T. Forensic molecular pathology: its impacts on routine work, education and training. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2014; 16:61-9. [PMID: 24480586 DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2014.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2013] [Accepted: 01/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The major role of forensic pathology is the investigation of human death in relevance to social risk management to determine the cause and process of death, especially in violent and unexpected sudden deaths, which involve social and medicolegal issues of ultimate, personal and public concerns. In addition to the identification of victims and biological materials, forensic molecular pathology contributes to general explanation of the human death process and assessment of individual death on the basis of biological molecular evidence, visualizing dynamic functional changes involved in the dying process that cannot be detected by morphology (pathophysiological or molecular biological vital reactions); the genetic background (genomics), dynamics of gene expression (up-/down-regulation: transcriptomics) and vital phenomena, involving activated biological mediators and degenerative products (proteomics) as well as metabolic deterioration (metabolomics), are detected by DNA analysis, relative quantification of mRNA transcripts using real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR), and immunohisto-/immunocytochemistry combined with biochemistry, respectively. Thus, forensic molecular pathology involves the application of omic medical sciences to investigate the genetic basis, and cause and process of death at the biological molecular level in the context of forensic pathology, that is, 'advanced molecular autopsy'. These procedures can be incorporated into routine death investigations as well as guidance, education and training programs in forensic pathology for 'dynamic assessment of the cause and process of death' on the basis of autopsy and laboratory data. Postmortem human data can also contribute to understanding patients' critical conditions in clinical management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hitoshi Maeda
- Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, 545-8585 Osaka, Japan; Forensic Autopsy Section, Medico-legal Consultation and Postmortem Investigation Support Center (MLCPI-SC), c/o Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, 545-8585 Osaka, Japan.
| | - Takaki Ishikawa
- Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, 545-8585 Osaka, Japan; Forensic Autopsy Section, Medico-legal Consultation and Postmortem Investigation Support Center (MLCPI-SC), c/o Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, 545-8585 Osaka, Japan; Division of Legal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, 86 Nishi-cho, Yonago, 683-8503 Tottori, Japan
| | - Tomomi Michiue
- Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, 545-8585 Osaka, Japan; Forensic Autopsy Section, Medico-legal Consultation and Postmortem Investigation Support Center (MLCPI-SC), c/o Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, 545-8585 Osaka, Japan
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Ondruschka B, Pohlers D, Sommer G, Schober K, Teupser D, Franke H, Dressler J. S100B and NSE as useful postmortem biochemical markers of traumatic brain injury in autopsy cases. J Neurotrauma 2013; 30:1862-71. [PMID: 23796187 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2013.2895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Postmortem analysis of relevant biomarkers might aid in characterizing causes of death and survival times in legal medicine. However, there are still no sufficiently established results of practical postmortem biochemical investigations in cases of traumatic brain injury (TBI). The two biomarkers--S100 protein subunit B (S100B) and neuronal specific enolase (NSE)--could be of special interest. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate changes in their postmortem levels for further determination of brain damage in TBI. In 17 cases of TBI (average age, 58 years) and in 23 controls with different causes of death (average age, 59 years), serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were analyzed with a chemiluminescence immunoassay for marker expression. An increase in serum S100B, as well as a subsequent decrease after survival times>4 days, were detected in TBI cases (p<0.01). CSF NSE values >6,000 ng/mL and CSF S100B levels >10,000 ng/mL seem to indicate a TBI survival time of at least 15 min (p<0.01). It is of particular interest that CSF S100B levels (p<0.01) and serum S100B levels (p<0.05) as well as CSF NSE values (p<0.01) were significantly higher in TBI cases in comparison to the controls, especially when compared with fatal non-head injuries. In conclusion, the present findings emphasize that S100B and NSE are useful markers in postmortem biochemistry in cases of suspected TBI. Further, S100B may be helpful to estimate the survival time of fatal injuries in legal medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Ondruschka
- 1 Institute of Legal Medicine, Medical Faculty University of Leipzig, Leipzig , Germany
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Ishikawa T, Quan L, Michiue T, Kawamoto O, Wang Q, Chen JH, Zhu BL, Maeda H. Postmortem catecholamine levels in pericardial and cerebrospinal fluids with regard to the cause of death in medicolegal autopsy. Forensic Sci Int 2013; 228:52-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2012] [Revised: 01/30/2013] [Accepted: 02/04/2013] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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14
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Li DR, Zhang F, Wang Y, Tan XH, Qiao DF, Wang HJ, Michiue T, Maeda H. Quantitative analysis of GFAP- and S100 protein-immunopositive astrocytes to investigate the severity of traumatic brain injury. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2012; 14:84-92. [DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2011.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2011] [Revised: 12/13/2011] [Accepted: 12/19/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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15
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Postmortem chemistry update part II. Int J Legal Med 2011; 126:199-215. [DOI: 10.1007/s00414-011-0614-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2011] [Accepted: 08/22/2011] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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16
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Wang Q, Ishikawa T, Michiue T, Zhu BL, Maeda H. Evaluation of human brain damage in fire fatality by quantification of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) immunoreactivities. Forensic Sci Int 2011; 211:19-26. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2011.03.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2010] [Revised: 12/24/2010] [Accepted: 03/27/2011] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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17
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Maeda H, Ishikawa T, Michiue T. Forensic biochemistry for functional investigation of death: Concept and practical application. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2011; 13:55-67. [DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2010.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2010] [Accepted: 12/23/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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18
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Maeda H, Zhu BL, Ishikawa T, Michiue T. Forensic molecular pathology of violent deaths. Forensic Sci Int 2010; 203:83-92. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2010.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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19
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Li DR, Ishikawa T, Quan L, Zhao D, Michiue T, Zhu BL, Wang HJ, Maeda H. Morphological analysis of astrocytes in the hippocampus in mechanical asphyxiation. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2010; 12:63-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2009.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2009] [Revised: 11/12/2009] [Accepted: 11/15/2009] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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20
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Microglial and astrocytic changes in the striatum of methamphetamine abusers. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2010; 12:57-62. [DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2009.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2009] [Revised: 10/19/2009] [Accepted: 11/04/2009] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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21
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Morphological and functional alterations in the adenohypophysis in cases of brain death. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2009; 11 Suppl 1:S234-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2009.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2008] [Revised: 02/23/2009] [Accepted: 03/05/2009] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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22
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Maeda H, Zhu BL, Ishikawa T, Quan L, Michiue T. Significance of postmortem biochemistry in determining the cause of death. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2009; 11 Suppl 1:S46-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2009.01.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2008] [Accepted: 01/08/2009] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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23
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Zhao D, Ishikawa T, Quan L, Li DR, Michiue T, Maeda H. Suicidal vehicle-assisted ligature strangulation resulting in complete decapitation: An autopsy report and a review of the literature. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2008; 10:310-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2008.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2008] [Revised: 06/09/2008] [Accepted: 06/11/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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24
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Single-stranded DNA as an immunohistochemical marker of neuronal damage in human brain: An analysis of autopsy material with regard to the cause of death. Forensic Sci Int 2008; 178:185-91. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2008.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2007] [Revised: 11/13/2007] [Accepted: 03/25/2008] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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25
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Zhu BL, Ishikawa T, Michiue T, Li DR, Zhao D, Quan L, Oritani S, Bessho Y, Maeda H. Postmortem serum catecholamine levels in relation to the cause of death. Forensic Sci Int 2007; 173:122-9. [PMID: 17395415 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2007.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2006] [Revised: 02/08/2007] [Accepted: 02/12/2007] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Catecholamines are major humoral factors and neurotransmitters that contribute to various stress responses. However, they have been considered unstable due to agony, terminal medical care and postmortem interference. The present study was a comprehensive investigation of postmortem serum levels of adrenaline (Adr), noradrenaline (Nad) and dopamine (DA) with regard to the cause of death in serial medicolegal autopsy cases (n=542) including fatalities from various traumas and diseases. There was a slight tendency toward postmortem increases of Nad and DA in cardiac blood as well as Adr and Nad in peripheral blood, a slight age-dependent decrease in Adr and DA in right heart blood, and a marked increase in serum DA due to administration during critical medical care. When these factors were taken into consideration, significantly higher cardiac blood levels were observed for Adr and Nad in injury and asphyxiation cases and for Adr in fatal methamphetamine (MA) abuse and other poisoning cases, whereas those levels were lower in fatal hypothermia. Drowning, fire fatality, acute cardiac death and cerebrovascular disease showed intermediate Adr and Nad levels. The DA level was elevated in cases of injury, hyperthermia, MA fatality and other poisoning. Topographical analyses suggested that the major sources of increased serum catecholamines in cases of injury was abdominal viscera including adrenal glands, and that in cases of asphyxiation, drowning, fire fatality, hyperthermia, MA fatality, other poisoning, acute cardiac death and cerebrovascular disease was the extremities in addition to abdominal viscera. However, there was in part a large case-to-case difference in each marker related to individual causes of death. These findings differed markedly from clinical observations and suggest that the postmortem serum catecholamine levels may reflect the magnitude of physical stress responses during the process of death in individual cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bao-Li Zhu
- Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, 545-8585 Osaka, Japan.
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Steiner J, Bernstein HG, Bielau H, Berndt A, Brisch R, Mawrin C, Keilhoff G, Bogerts B. Evidence for a wide extra-astrocytic distribution of S100B in human brain. BMC Neurosci 2007; 8:2. [PMID: 17199889 PMCID: PMC1769505 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2202-8-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 202] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2006] [Accepted: 01/02/2007] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background S100B is considered an astrocytic in-situ marker and protein levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or serum are often used as biomarker for astrocytic damage or dysfunction. However, studies on S100B in the human brain are rare. Thus, the distribution of S100B was studied by immunohistochemistry in adult human brains to evaluate its cell-type specificity. Results Contrary to glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), which selectively labels astrocytes and shows only faint ependymal immunopositivity, a less uniform staining pattern was seen in the case of S100B. Cells with astrocytic morphology were primarily stained by S100B in the human cortex, while only 20% (14–30%) or 14% (7–35%) of all immunopositive cells showed oligodendrocytic morphology in the dorsolateral prefrontal and temporal cortices, respectively. In the white matter, however, most immunostained cells resembled oligodendrocytes [frontal: 75% (57–85%); temporal: 73% (59–87%); parietal: 79% (62–89%); corpus callosum: 93% (86–97%)]. S100B was also found in ependymal cells, the choroid plexus epithelium, vascular endothelial cells, lymphocytes, and several neurones. Anti-myelin basic protein (MBP) immunolabelling showed an association of S100B with myelinated fibres, whereas GFAP double staining revealed a distinct subpopulation of cells with astrocytic morphology, which solely expressed S100B but not GFAP. Some of these cells showed co-localization of S100B and A2B5 and may be characterized as O2A glial progenitor cells. However, S100B was not detected in microglial cells, as revealed by double-immunolabelling with HLA-DR. Conclusion S100B is localized in many neural cell-types and is less astrocyte-specific than GFAP. These are important results in order to avoid misinterpretation in the identification of normal and pathological cell types in situ and in clinical studies since S100B is continuously used as an astrocytic marker in animal models and various human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johann Steiner
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, D-39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Hans-Gert Bernstein
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, D-39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Hendrik Bielau
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, D-39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Annika Berndt
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, D-39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Ralf Brisch
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, D-39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Christian Mawrin
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, D-07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Gerburg Keilhoff
- Institute of Medical Neurobiology, University of Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, D-39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Bernhard Bogerts
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, D-39120 Magdeburg, Germany
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Zhu BL, Ishikawa T, Michiue T, Tanaka S, Zhao D, Li DR, Quan L, Oritani S, Maeda H. Differences in postmortem urea nitrogen, creatinine and uric acid levels between blood and pericardial fluid in acute death. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2007; 9:115-22. [PMID: 17197225 DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2006.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2006] [Revised: 10/13/2006] [Accepted: 10/16/2006] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies showed significant differences in postmortem urea nitrogen (UN), creatinine (Cr) and uric acid (UA) levels in heart blood depending on the causes of death, including acute death. In addition, the levels in pericardial fluid approximated the clinical serum reference ranges, and their elevations may be assessed based on clinical criteria. The present study investigated difference between blood and pericardial levels of these markers. Medicolegal autopsy cases (n=556, within 48h postmortem) of the following causes of death were examined: injury (n=136), asphyxiation (n=50), drowning (n=39), fire fatalities (n=99), hyperthermia (n=11), hypothermia (n=8), poisoning (n=26), delayed traumatic death (n=44) and natural diseases (n=143). When serum UN, Cr and UA levels were compared with the pericardial levels, there was an equivalency for delayed traumatic death and chronic renal failure, although each level was markedly elevated. Parallel increases in serum and pericardial UA and/or Cr levels were also observed for hypothermia and gastrointestinal bleeding. However, in drowning cases, the left cardiac and pericardial UN levels were lower than the right cardiac and peripheral levels, suggesting the influence of water aspiration. Significant elevations in serum and pericardial Cr and UA levels with a higher serum/pericardial UA ratio for fatal methamphetamine intoxication suggest progressive skeletal muscle damage due to advanced hypoxia/acidosis. Similar findings were often observed for other acute and subacute deaths. These findings suggest that a comparison between blood and pericardial nitrogenous compounds would be useful for investigating the cause and process of death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bao-Li Zhu
- Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, 545-8585 Osaka, Japan.
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