Abstract

ARROYO, A.; CARBONE, MT.  and  ORDONEZ, J.. Post-mortem biochemistry: a comparison of three analytical methods. Cuad. med. forense [online]. 2004, n.36, pp.35-40. ISSN 1988-611X.

Thanatochemistry is an important procedure in forensic medicine. Emphasis has been upon fluids that do not alter as quickly as blood, after death. Vitreous humor, spinal fluid, pericardic fluid and sinovial fluid have been used. Aims: to compare values of cholesterol in blood, glucose and potassium in vitreous humor and creatinkinase in pericardial fluid. The data were obtained from three different methods and analyzers, the third of which was considered as the reference method. Materials and methods: samples were obtained from 55 corpses in the Pathology department of the Legal Medicine Institute in Barcelona. Analyzers were: Spotchem EZ (Lab. Menarini) dry-chemistry method, Spotchem EL (Lab. Menarini) ion selective potenciometry for potassium and Reflotron (Lab. Roche) dry-chemistry method. The reference method analizers were Hitachi 911, Cobas Integra 800 and Vitros 259. Results: significative differences were found in cholesterol values between the dry chemistry methods and the reference method as well as potassium values between the dry chemistry method and the reference method. No differences were found between the potassium ion selective potenciometry method and the reference method. Glucose and creatinkinase results were not considered because of great dispersion values. Conclusions: results obtained with the dry-chemistry methods do not allow consideration of its usefullness in forensic practice.

Keywords : postmortem biochemistry; postmortem analysis; forensic sciences.

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