title: Early repolarization, acute emotional stress and sudden death.
abstract: We herein report the case of a 36-year-old man who died suddenly after a fight with another man. Forensic investigations included unenhanced computed tomography, postmortem angiography, autopsy, histology, neuropathology, toxicology, and biochemistry and allowed a traumatic cause of death to be excluded. An electrocardiogram recorded some years prior to death revealed the presence of an early repolarization pattern. Based on the results of all investigations, the cause of death was determined to be cardiac arrhythmia and cardiac arrest during an emotionally stressful event associated with physical assault. Direct third party involvement, however, was excluded, and the manner of death was listed as natural. The case was not pursued any further by the public prosecutor.
authors: University Centre of Legal Medicine, Rue du Bugnon 21, 1011, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors: Cristian
authors: C
authors: Palmiere
authors: Maria del Mar
authors: Mdel M
authors: Lesta
authors: Jessica
authors: J
authors: Vanhaebost
authors: Patrice
authors: P
authors: Mangin
authors: Marc
authors: M
authors: Augsburger
authors: Pierre
authors: P
authors: Vogt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology*; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000209:etiology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D014754:Violence
keywords: early repolarization; emotional stress; forensic science; idiopathic ventricular fibrillation; postmortem biochemistry; sudden death