title: Postmortem biochemical investigations in hypothermia fatalities.
abstract: Despite the progress made during the past several decades in forensic pathology, the possibilities for the postmortem diagnosis of hypothermia remains relatively limited. Aside from histology and immunohistochemistry, numerous authors have investigated the postmortem biochemistry of hypothermia fatalities. Several biochemical markers (e.g., glucose, electrolytes, hormones, ketone bodies, and neurotransmitters) and various biological samples (e.g., blood, urine, heart, liver, skeletal muscle as well as pericardial and cerebrospinal fluids) have been proposed as potentially useful markers to improve the insufficient diagnostic efficacy of macroscopic and microscopic findings. The aim of this article is to review the medicolegal literature covering the postmortem biochemical investigations that are associated with hypothermia cases as well as report our own research results on this topic where possible.
authors: University Centre of Legal Medicine, Rue du Bugnon 21, 1011, Lausanne, Switzerland. cristian.palmiere@chuv.ch
authors: Cristian
authors: C
authors: Palmiere
authors: Patrice
authors: P
authors: Mangin
mesh_terms: D019840:2-Propanol / Q000378:metabolism; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism; D053379:Chromogranin A / Q000378:metabolism; D052279:Creatine Kinase, MB Form / Q000378:metabolism; D003404:Creatinine / Q000378:metabolism; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000378:metabolism; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000378:metabolism; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000378:metabolism*; D007657:Ketone Bodies / Q000378:metabolism; D009211:Myoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D019798:Neopterin / Q000378:metabolism; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D010907:Pituitary Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D019210:Troponin I / Q000378:metabolism; D020107:Troponin T / Q000378:metabolism; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002395:Catecholamines; D053379:Chromogranin A; D004573:Electrolytes; D007657:Ketone Bodies; D009211:Myoglobin; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D010907:Pituitary Hormones; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins; D019210:Troponin I; D020107:Troponin T; D004921:Erythropoietin; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D014527:Uric Acid; D012701:Serotonin; D019798:Neopterin; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D003404:Creatinine; D052279:Creatine Kinase, MB Form; D005947:Glucose; D019840:2-Propanol