title: Immunohistochemical investigation of pulmonary surfactant-associated protein A in fire victims.
abstract: To evaluate the forensic pathological significance of the immunohistochemical distribution of pulmonary surfactant-associated protein A (SP-A) in determining the cause of death in fires, 57 fire victims were examined by scoring the staining intensity. The highest SP-A score with dense granular deposits (aggregates) in the intra-alveolar space was frequently observed in cases with a lower blood carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) level (<60%). The SP-A score was relatively low in carbon monoxide intoxication due to causes other than fires. High SP-A scores showed a relation to the serum level and in part related to the bloody exudate in the lower airway. These observations suggested that the increase in SP-A in fire victims may be mainly related to pulmonary alveolar injury due to the inhalation of hot air and/or irritant gases rather than hypoxia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, 545-8585 Osaka, Japan. baolizhu@med.osaka-cu.ac.jp
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oritani
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: M Q
authors.initials: MQ
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maeda