title: Endogenous gamma-hydroxybutyric acid levels in postmortem blood.
abstract: The goal of this study was to determine how the postmortem interval and duration of storage of blood at 4 degrees C affect endogenous gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) levels in blood. Forty-three autopsy cases of non-users of GHB were involved. The postmortem interval ranged from 8 to 132 h. Blood samples were collected and stored without any preservatives at 4 degrees C for 1 day up to 15 months until analysis. In some cases, samples were also stored at -20 degrees C for 10 days to 7 months to determine GHB levels at autopsy. Blood GHB concentrations were measured by headspace gas chromatography after GHB was converted to gamma-butyrolactone. Blood GHB concentrations ranged from 0 to 43.0 microg/ml and averaged 9.80 microg/ml. A positive correlation was observed between concentration and postmortem interval (r = 0.571) but no correlation was found between concentration and storage interval at 4 degrees C. In 14 blood samples stored at -20 and 4 degrees C for 10 days, GHB concentrations were 4.55+/-3.88 and 6.06+/-4.27 microg/ml, respectively. In another eight blood samples stored at -20 and 4 degrees C for 1-7 months, GHB concentrations were 3.77+/-2.76 and 5.49+/-2.97 microg/ml, respectively. A large portion of endogenous GHB detected in blood of corpses may be produced during the interval between death and autopsy, rather than during storage of blood at 4 degrees C until analysis. In an additional experiment, it was suggested that glycolysis by bacteria may enhance endogenous GHB production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Kochi University Medical School, Kohasu, Oko-cho, Nankoku City, Kochi 783-8505, Japan. moriyaf@med.kochi-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moriya
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001344:Autopsy / Q000379:methods; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D012978:Sodium Oxybate / Q000097:blood*; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D012978:Sodium Oxybate