title: Suicidal hanging in Istanbul, Turkey: 1979-2012 Autopsy results.
abstract: A retrospective study was carried out on 4549 which is the total number of hanging cases autopsied at Forensic Medicine Institute in Istanbul, Turkey. 4502 hanging cases of suicidal origin were detected and evaluated in terms of demographic features, the type of hanging material used for ligature, internal findings in neck organs, toxicological findings and microscopic findings. Of these suicides, 3295 (73.2%) were males and 1207 (26.8%) were females. The average age of the victims was 37.8 (SD 1.6). Crude suicidal hanging rate is approximately two-fold increase in women, while it is about five-to six-fold increase in men during 33 years. 1424 of the victims committed suicide by hanging themselves at home, and 441 of them in prison and indoor areas. The alcohol in the blood of all autopsy victims was tested and results were positive for 687 people. A drug active agent was detected in 108 (2.4%) victims: 70 (1.5%) of them were antidepressants, 20 (0.5%) of them were analgesic/anti-inflammatory/anti-histaminic and 18 (0.4%) of them were antipsychotic. In the examination of the psychoactive substances in blood and urine, any of such substances was not detected in 4146 of the victims. However, victims' blood and urine contained a sedative-hypnotic-anxiolytic with 74 (1.6%), a cannabinoid with 16 (0.4%) and an opioid with 12 (0.3%). Psychoactive substance examination was not carried out for 243 victims. Of these cases, 4060 (90.2%), ecchymosis in soft tissues and 2800 (62.1%) fracture in neck organs was found.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Ahi Evran University, Education and Training Hospital, Kirsehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Safak
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taktak
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Namık Kemal University, Faculty of Medicine, Tekirdag, Turkey. Electronic address: drbkumral@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Bahadir
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kumral
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Ahi Evran University, School of Health, Kirsehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Unsal
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Abant Izzet Baysal University, Faculty of Medicine, Bolu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Taskin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ozdes
authors.affiliation: The Ministry of Justice, Council of Forensic Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yalcin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Buyuk
authors.affiliation: The Ministry of Justice, Council of Forensic Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Safa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Celik
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000473:pathology*; D000067401:Blood Alcohol Content; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000473:pathology; D050724:Fractures, Cartilage / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006928:Hyoid Bone / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009294:Narcotics / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D019838:Neck Injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000097:blood; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000473:pathology; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013957:Thyroid Cartilage / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000067401:Blood Alcohol Content; D002186:Cannabinoids; D009294:Narcotics; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs
keywords: Autopsy results; Hanging; Suicide; Turkey