title: The application of immunohistochemical findings in the diagnosis in methamphetamine-related death-two forensic autopsy cases-.
abstract: Forensic autopsy cases detecting methamphetamine (MA) are usually diagnosed according to its toxicological concentration. It has been reported that the lethal blood concentration of MA is 4.48 microg/ml (3.0 micromol/dl). We autopsied two MA-detected cadavers, and immunohistochemical staining was performed on the skeletal muscle with an anti-myoglobin antibody, and on the kidney with an anti-the 70 kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) antibody. One case showed a high rectal temperature (40 degrees C). The toxicological examination revealed 0.75 microg/ml of MA in the blood, and 16.8 microg/ml in the urine. Myoglobin was negative and HSP70 was positive in the kidney immunohistochemically. From the toxicological and immunohistochemical findings, it was considered that the subject died of hyperthermia and acidosis caused by muscular hyperactivity. In another case, the autopsy revealed highly congested lungs, with dark-red bloody fluid and foam in the trachea and bronchus. MA (17.0 microg/ml) was detected in the blood. HSP70 was negative and myoglobin was positive immunohistochemically. It was thought that the subject died of acute MA intoxication based on the high MA concentration, although rhabdomyolysis was suspected. It is suggested that myoglobin and HSP70 immunostaining are useful to diagnose MA poisoning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, The University of Tokushima School of Medicine, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishigami
authors.forename: Shin-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kubo
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gotohda
authors.forename: Itsuo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tokunaga
mesh_terms: D000141:Acidosis, Renal Tubular / Q000139:chemically induced; D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000139:chemically induced; D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy; D015415:Biomarkers; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents / Q000737:chemistry; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D009211:Myoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D011654:Pulmonary Edema / Q000139:chemically induced; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012206:Rhabdomyolysis / Q000139:chemically induced; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D009211:Myoglobin; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D008694:Methamphetamine