title: Site-, Technique-, and Time-Related Aspects of the Postmortem Redistribution of Diazepam, Methadone, Morphine, and their Metabolites: Interest of Popliteal Vein Blood Sampling.
abstract: Sampling site, technique, and time influence postmortem drug concentrations. In 57 cases, we studied drug concentration differences as follows: subclavian vein-dissection/clamping versus blind stick, femoral vein-dissection/clamping versus blind stick, right cardiac chamber, and popliteal vein-dissection and clamping only. Cases were distributed in group #1 (all cases with both techniques), group #2 (dissection/clamping), and group #3 (blind stick). Sampled drugs were diazepam, methadone, morphine, and their metabolites. To assess PMR, mean concentrations and ratios were calculated for each group. Time-dependent variations of blood concentrations and ratios were also assessed. Results indicate that site, method, and time may influence postmortem distribution interpretation in different ways. Popliteal blood seems less subject to PMR. In conclusion, our study is the first to evaluate concurrently three main aspects of PMR and confirms that the popliteal vein may represent a site that is more resistant to the changes seen as a result of PMR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University Hospital - CHU Sart Tilman, Domaine Universitaire du Sart Tilman - B.35, Liège, B-4000, Belgium.|Department of Forensic Medicine, Medico-legal Institute of the University of Liège, Rue Dos-Fanchon 37, B-4020, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lemaire
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, 300 N. Ingalls, NI2D22, SPC 5452, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA.
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: Medico-legal Toxicology Laboratory, University Hospital - CHU Sart Tilman, Domaine Universitaire du Sart-Tilman - B.35, Liège, B-4000, Belgium.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dubois
authors.affiliation: Medico-legal Toxicology Laboratory, University Hospital - CHU Sart Tilman, Domaine Universitaire du Sart-Tilman - B.35, Liège, B-4000, Belgium.
authors.forename: Raphael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Denooz
authors.affiliation: Medico-legal Toxicology Laboratory, University Hospital - CHU Sart Tilman, Domaine Universitaire du Sart-Tilman - B.35, Liège, B-4000, Belgium.
authors.forename: Corinne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Charlier
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Medico-legal Institute of the University of Liège, Rue Dos-Fanchon 37, B-4020, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boxho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D003975:Diazepam / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005260:Female; D005268:Femoral Vein; D053593:Forensic Toxicology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D009020:Morphine / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D009022:Morphine Derivatives / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D003708:Nordazepam / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D010076:Oxazepam / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011152:Popliteal Vein; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D013350:Subclavian Vein; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D009022:Morphine Derivatives; C035349:morphine-6-glucuronide; D003708:Nordazepam; D010076:Oxazepam; D009020:Morphine; C018108:morphine-3-glucuronide; D003975:Diazepam; D008691:Methadone
keywords: blind stick; dissection/clamping; forensic science; forensic toxicology; popliteal blood; postmortem interval; postmortem redistribution; sampling site; sampling technique