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A case of complex suicide due to acute nicotine intoxication caused by cigarette ingestion

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Abstract

This paper presents an unusual complex suicide case that died of nicotine addiction. The deceased was a 40-year-old male who was found lying dead on the floor in his room. In external findings, many incision wounds on his forearms and skin discoloration with epidermolysis on his cervical region could be seen. In the room, a blood-stained scissors and electric cord hanged on the exercise bike were found. Moreover, nine cigarette residues which were only the filter part and empty bottle of coffee were found on his side. At autopsy, we found that those injuries were not serious enough to lead him to the death. Toxicologically, caffeine, nicotine, cotinine, mirtazapine, and olanzapine could be detected, and the concentrations of nicotine were 3.740, 2.140, 3.100, and 451.100 μg/ml in cardiac blood, peripheral blood, urine, and stomach contents, respectively. These concentrations were evaluated as the fatal levels, and the cause of his death was diagnosed as acute nicotine intoxication.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forensic Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, 811-1 Kimiidera, Wakayama, 641-8509, Japan

    Hiroki Yamamoto, Tatsunori Takayasu, Yuko Ishida, Mizuho Nosaka, Satoshi Hata, Yumi Kuninaka, Emi Shimada, Yumiko Hashizume, Akiko Ishigami, Mitsunori Ozaki, Mariko Kawaguchi, Akihiko Kimura, Fukumi Furukawa & Toshikazu Kondo

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  1. Hiroki Yamamoto
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  2. Tatsunori Takayasu
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  3. Yuko Ishida
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  4. Mizuho Nosaka
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  5. Satoshi Hata
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  6. Yumi Kuninaka
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  7. Emi Shimada
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  13. Fukumi Furukawa
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  14. Toshikazu Kondo
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Correspondence to Toshikazu Kondo.

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Yamamoto, H., Takayasu, T., Ishida, Y. et al. A case of complex suicide due to acute nicotine intoxication caused by cigarette ingestion. Int J Legal Med 134, 997–1002 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-019-02228-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-019-02228-5

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