The analysis of hormones and enzymes extracted from endocrine glands of the neck region in deaths due to hanging.
Our study was designed to determine whether the hormone and enzyme levels that we have mentioned in serum specimens can be used in postmortem examinations of the cases of hanging or not. Our research includes the postmortem results of the thyroid tissue pathologic examinations, serum levels of triiodothyronine (fT3), thyroxine (fT4), thyrotropin (TSH), thyroglobulin, parathormone (PTH), calcitonin, and amylase in cases of death due to hanging. The mean of fT3 and thyroglobulin levels were higher in hanging cases than those of sudden death cases. This difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). In our study, we obtained data demonstrating that high postmortem levels of free T3 and thyroglobulin may be indicators of vital reaction in hanging cases. In such cases of death, it seems that applying pressure on the neck region where the thyroid gland is located causes the leakage of thyroglobulin as well as fT3, the active form of the thyroid hormone.
Senol
Ender
E
Department of Forensic Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.
Demirel
Birol
B
Akar
Taner
T
Gülbahar
Ozlem
O
Bakar
Coşkun
C
Bukan
Neslihan
N
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000681:Amylases / Q000097:blood; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000473:pathology*; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000473:pathology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019838:Neck Injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013954:Thyroglobulin / Q000097:blood; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000473:pathology*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood
D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D000431:Ethanol; D013972:Thyrotropin; D002116:Calcitonin; D013954:Thyroglobulin; D000681:Amylases; D013974:Thyroxine