[Corpus of biochemical changes after death by potassium intoxication in rabbits].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the objective evidence of the corpus biochemical changes in rabbits for postmortem diagnosis of potassium intoxication.


METHODS
Rabbits were sacrificed by Infusion of 0.3% KCl at full speed push or 1% KCl at 100 drip/min, respectively, with normal rabbits used as control. Cardiac blood and urine samples were collected before and after potassium infusion to examine the concentrations of various electrolytes (K+, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl-, and HCO3-) and to observe the antemortem and postmortem biochemical changes.


RESULTS
The mean lethal infusion time in the 0.3%KCl group was longer than that in the 1% KCl group (P = 0.006). The serum concentration of K+ increased while the serum concentrations of Na+, Ca2+, Cl-, and HCO3- decreased after the infusion. There were no statistically significant differences in the whole blood concentration of K+ as well as the serum concentration of Mg2+ between the two groups (P = 0.062). There were statistically significant differences in the concentrations of whole blood K+, as well as serum Na+, Mg2+, and Cl-, but not in the serum K+, Ca2+, and HCO3-. There were no statistically significant differences seen in the urine volumes and the concentrations of all the urine electrolytes between the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Examination of the concentrations of K+ both in the whole blood and serum, as well as Mg2+ in the serum may be helpful for postmortem diagnosis of potassium intoxication.
Zhu
Xin-ju
XJ
Forensic Medicine department, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China. xjzhu_js@sina.com
Li
Xi-yuan
XY
Li
Kai
K
Chen
Li-ping
LP
Ke
Yong
Y
Wang
Zhen-yuan
ZY
D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods; D007275:Injections, Intravenous / Q000379:methods; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood* / Q000506:poisoning*; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011817:Rabbits; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine
D004573:Electrolytes; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D012964:Sodium; D008274:Magnesium; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium