The postmortem diagnosis of alcoholic ketoacidosis.
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State: Public
Version: Final published version
License: Not specified
It was possible to publish this article open access thanks to a Swiss National Licence with the publisher.
State: Public
Version: Final published version
License: Not specified
It was possible to publish this article open access thanks to a Swiss National Licence with the publisher.
Serval ID
serval:BIB_699D80EA1346
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
The postmortem diagnosis of alcoholic ketoacidosis.
Journal
Alcohol and Alcoholism
ISSN
1464-3502 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
0735-0414
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2014
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
49
Number
3
Pages
271-281
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
AIMS: The aim of this article is to review the forensic literature covering the postmortem investigations that are associated with alcoholic ketoacidosis fatalities and report the results of our own analyses. METHODS: Eight cases of suspected alcoholic ketoacidosis that had undergone medico-legal investigations in our facility from 2011 to 2013 were retrospectively selected. A series of laboratory parameters were measured in whole femoral blood, postmortem serum from femoral blood, urine and vitreous humor in order to obtain a more general overview on the biochemical and metabolic changes that occur during alcoholic ketoacidosis. Most of the tested parameters were chosen among those that had been described in clinical and forensic literature associated with alcoholic ketoacidosis and its complications. RESULTS: Ketone bodies and carbohydrate-deficient transferrin levels were increased in all cases. Biochemical markers of generalized inflammation, volume depletion and undernourishment showed higher levels. Adaptive endocrine reactions involving insulin, glucagon, cortisol and triiodothyronine were also observed. CONCLUSIONS: Metabolic and biochemical disturbances characterizing alcoholic ketoacidosis can be reliably identified in the postmortem setting. The correlation of medical history, autopsy findings and biochemical results proves therefore decisive in identifying pre-existing disorders, excluding alternative causes of death and diagnosing alcoholic ketoacidosis as the cause of death.
Keywords
Forensic Medicine, Toxicology
Pubmed
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
24/12/2013 15:00
Last modification date
14/02/2022 8:55