title: Serum C-reactive protein levels in postmortem blood--an analysis with special reference to the cause of death and survival time.
abstract: We have investigated postmortem serum CRP levels in 408 forensic autopsy cases consisting of 216 acute and 192 non-acute death cases having postmortem interval of less than 48 h. CRP ranged from 0.03 to 66.13 mg/dl with the median of 0.28 mg/dl. In 362 traumatic death, survival time and the presence of severe infection were the major factors contributing to CRP elevation, while postmortem interval, age, gender, hepatic injury and liver cirrhosis was not. In almost all the immediate deaths (15/16) CRP remained at a low level (<0.5 mg/dl). Acute deaths and subacute deaths within 6 h showed lower CRP levels compared to longer survivors, consistent with the clinical and experimental studies. As for natural diseases, the CRP level reflected the pathological findings. The results suggest a possibility of CRP as a forensic diagnostic marker.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, Osaka 545-8585, Japan. mqfujita@msic.med.osaka-cu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Masaki Q
authors.initials: MQ
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Bao-Li
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oritani
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maeda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001769:Blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein