Problems of Forensic Sciences 2008 Vol. 74 (LXXIV) 161-167
GLYCOCORTICOSTEROIDS AND KETONE BODIES AS MARKERS OF DEATH FROM HYPOTHERMIA
Krzysztof BAŃKA, Grzegorz TERESIŃSKI, Grzegorz BUSZEWICZ, Roman MĄDRO
Chair and Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
Streszczenie
Concentrations of cortisol, cortisone, corticosterone, ethanol, acetone and β-hydroxybutyric acid (β-HBA) were determined in autopsy blood samples collected from 10 individuals, using methods developed earlier. In all cases, circumstances of death were suggestive of excessive cooling. The examined individuals were alcoholics; be fore death, all of them, except one, had been intoxicated with an ethanol level above 2 g/l. The control group consisted of blood samples from de ceased per sons who had died after short death throes due to road traffic accidents or hangings – the above mentioned sub stances were determined in these blood samples. High β-HBA concentrations were observed in the experimental group (free acetone, considered a marker of death due to excessive cooling, was not elevated). More over, levels of hormones (cortisol, in particular) in individuals who died due to hypothermia were significantly (p < 0.025) higher than in posttraumatic death cases. Low environmental temperature in creases the secretion of glycocorticosteroids (particularly cortisol) in intoxicated individuals and alcoholics. Thus, adrenal cortex hormones and β-HBA are more universal markers of hypothermia than levels of acetonaemia recorded during routine ethanol determinations using gas chromatography.
Słowa kluczowe
Glycocorticosteroids; Ketone bodies; Ethanol; Death from hypothermia.