Cerebrospinal fluid: postmortem biochemical study.
Postmortem phenomena can change and alter biochemical components in body fluids such as blood and as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). AIMS OF THE STUDY WERE: (a) to analyse urea, glucose, potassium, chloride, protein, creatinine, calcium, alkaline phosphatase and cortisol in CSF fluid and (b) to compare results between two age groups, between groups with or without mental or degenerative neurological illness and between a group reported as dying from natural causes and a group that had a violent death.


METHODS
The study was carried out in Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona) of 55 corpses. Samples were obtained following section of the corpus callosus, through the lateral ventricles and frozen to -80 degrees C until processed.


RESULTS
Significant differences were found in urea levels between the two age groups, in protein between natural and violent death groups and in alkaline phosphatase between the two age groups and between the natural and violent death group. Cortisol levels revealed significant difference between the two age groups and is those supplying natural and violent death.


CONCLUSIONS
The study indicates to the need for further studies designed to include groups with defined diagnose of mental or degenerative disorders as well as different age groups.
Arroyo
A
A
Legal Medicine Institute of Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain. 8034aa@comb.es
Rosel
P
P
Marron
T
T
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D002118:Calcium / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D002423:Cause of Death; D002556:Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D002712:Chlorides / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D003404:Creatinine / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D005947:Glucose / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D011188:Potassium / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D014508:Urea / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid
D002556:Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins; D002712:Chlorides; D014508:Urea; D003404:Creatinine; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D005947:Glucose; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium; D006854:Hydrocortisone