title: Suicide case due to phosphoric acid ingestion: case report and review of literature.
abstract: Ingesting caustic substances represents a common event which may result in serious injuries of the gastrointestinal system. Severity of injury depends on the type of ingested substance: Caustic burns are more frequently associated with acid ingestion and their severity depends on type, concentration, time of exposure, and amount of the ingested substance. We report a case of phosphoric acid ingestion leading to death in a patient with depressive disorder. While reports ingestion of other acids and organophosphates can be found in the literature, there are no reports detailing a death due to phosphoric acid ingestion. We hope that presenting the findings in this case can aid death investigators in future cases that may involve ingestion of such a substance. After autopsy pH, phosphate and calcium ions concentration in the blood were analyzed. The cause of death was due to systemic effects: metabolic acidosis, hypophosphatemia, hypocalcemia, and hyperkalemia.
authors.affiliation: Chair of Legal Medicine, University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro, Viale Europa loc. Germaneto, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Aquila
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pepe
authors.forename: Ciro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Nunzio
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ausania
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: Pietrantonio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ricci
mesh_terms: D000138:Acidosis / Q000139:chemically induced; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002424:Caustics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006947:Hyperkalemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D006996:Hypocalcemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D017674:Hypophosphatemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D010756:Phosphoric Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012769:Shock / Q000209:etiology; D013405:Suicide
chemical_list: D002424:Caustics; D010756:Phosphoric Acids; C030242:phosphoric acid
keywords: caustic substances; death; depressive disorder; forensic science; ingestion; phosphoric acid