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Postmortem chemistry update part I

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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.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the anonymous reviewers, whose constructive and useful comments improved the quality of the article.

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  1. University Centre of Legal Medicine, Lausanne-Geneva, Rue du Bugnon 21, 1011, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Cristian Palmiere & Patrice Mangin

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  1. Cristian Palmiere
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Correspondence to Cristian Palmiere.

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Palmiere, C., Mangin, P. Postmortem chemistry update part I. Int J Legal Med 126, 187–198 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-011-0625-y

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