title: Clarification of ethanol-positive case using urine serotonin metabolite ratio.
abstract: This paper intends to provide investigators with information useful in determining the presence of postmortem ethanol in fatal accidents and a case history of an accident that involved postmortem alcohol formation is presented. An ethanol-positive fatal case initially reported as being from ingestion was ultimately determined to be from postmortem ethanol production using the ratio of two serotonin metabolites found in urine. This case involved a transportation accident that could have resulted in additional hardships for the victim's family through loss of compensation and reputation.
authors: Federal Aviation Administration, AAM-610, Research.
authors: Dennis
authors: D
authors: Canfield
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Brink
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Johnson
authors: Russell
authors: R
authors: Lewis
authors: Kurt
authors: K
authors: Dubowski
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D001344:Autopsy; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D012701:Serotonin / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D012701:Serotonin; D000431:Ethanol