Medicolegal study of determination of time since death from potassium level in vitreous humour

Authors

  • Chaitanya S. Kulkarni Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Topiwala National Medical College and BYL Nair charitable Hospital, Mumbai - 08, Maharashtra, India
  • Gajanan S. Chavan Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Grant Government Medical College and Sir JJ Groups of Hospital, Mumbai - 08, Maharashtra, India
  • Avinash N. Jadhao Department of Biochemistry, Topiwala National Medical College and BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2349-3933.ijam20163749

Keywords:

Post-mortem interval, Potassium, Time since death, Vitreous humour

Abstract

Background: From the knowledge of science, various workers have established the methods of determining post mortem interval by the use of physical changes after death. Unfortunately the accuracy was low and margin of error high as evident from the literature available. Trends are now shifting towards the use of various chemical methods like estimation of electrolyte concentration of cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid and vitreous humour. Vitreous humour is stable, less contaminated by putrefaction, easily accessible in sufficient quantity. Thus, it is suitable to determine time since death.

Methods: The present cross-sectional study was carried out in grant Govt. medical college; Mumbai on 200 cases brought to the mortuary from the period 1st January 2011 to 31st May 2013.

Results: It was found that there was linear correlationship between vitreous humour potassium concentration and increasing post-mortem interval irrespective of age, sex, temperature, humidity and mode of death.

Conclusions: There was linear relationship between vitreous potassium concentration and post-mortem interval. The accuracy of prediction of PMI can be improved by applying present study formula. The rate of rise of potassium level in vitreous humour was 0.23mEq/L/hr No significant difference in vitreous potassium concentration between the two eyes was noted when samples were drawn at the same PMI. There was no significant effect of age, sex, temperature, humidity and mode of death on vitreous potassium level after death.

References

Karmakar RN. Mukherjee’s JB Forensic Medicine and Toxicology. 3rd edition. Kolkata, Academic publishers; 2007:268-310.

Vij K. Textbook of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology. 5th edition. India, Reed Elsevier India private limited; 2011:78-86

Coe JI. Use of chemical determination on vitreous humor in forensic pathology. Journal of Forensic Science. 1972;17(4):541-6.

Garg V, Oberoi SS, Gorea RK, Kaur K. Changes in the levels of vitreous potassium with increasing time since death. Journal of Indian Academy of Forensic Medicine. 2004; 26(4):136-9.

Jaffe FA. Chemical Postmortem changes in intra-ocular fluid. Journal of Forensic science. 1962;7(2):231-7.

Sturner WQ, Gantner GE. The postmortem interval: a study of potassium in the vitreous humor. The American Journal of Clinical Pathology. USA: The William and Wilkin Co. 1964;42(2):137-44.

Coe J. Post-mortem chemistries on human vitreous humor. American Journal of Clinical Pathology. USA: The William and Wilkin Co. 1969;51(6):741-50.

Madea B, Henssge C, Honig W and Gerbracht A. References for determining the time of death by potassium in vitreous humor. Forensic Science International. 1989;40(3):231-43.

Singh D, Prasad R, Sharma SK, Pandey AN. Double logarithmic: Linear relationship between postmortem vitreous sodium/potassium electrolytes concentration ratio and time since death in subjects of Chandigarh zone of North West India. Journal of Indian Academy of Forensic Medicine. 2005;27(3):159-68.

Adelson L, Sunshine I, Rushforth NB, Mankoff M. Vitreous potassium concentration as an Indicator of the postmortem interval. Journal of Forensic Science. 1963;54:503-14.

Agrawal RL, Gupta PC, Bhasin S, Nagar CK. Determination of the time of death by estimating potassium level in the cadaver vitreous humor. Indian Journal of Ophthalmology. 1983;31(5):528-31.

Tagliaro F, Bortolotti F, Manetto G, Cittadini F, Pascali VL, Marigo M. Potassium concentration difference in vitreous humor from the two eyes revisited by microanalysis with capillary electrophoresis. J Chromato Biomed Sci Appl. 2001;924(1-2):493-8.

Balasooriya BAW, St Hill CA, Williams AR. The biochemistry of vitreous humor. A comparative study of potassium, sodium and urate concentration in the eyes at identical time intervals after death. Forensic Science International. 1984;26(2):85-91.

Pounder DJ, Carson DO, Johnston K, Orihara Y. Electrolyte concentration difference between left and right vitreous humor samples. Journal of Forensic Science. 1998;43(3):604-7.

Govekar G, Bishnukumar, Dixit PC, Mishra TK. A study of potassium in vitreous in relation to the time since death and cause of death. Journal of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology. 1997;4(1):26-8.

Prasad BK, Choudhary A, Sinha JN. A study of correlation between vitreous potassium level and postmortem interval. Kathmandu University Medical Journal. 2003;1(2):132-4.

Myo-Thaik-Oo, Tanaka E, Oikawa H, Aita K, Tanno K, Yamazaki K, et al. No significant differences in the postmortem interval in Myanmar and Japanese using vitreous potassium levels. Journal of Clinical Forensic Medicine. 2002;9(2):70-3.

Jasnani KD, Kale SA, Rupani AB. Vitreous humor: biochemical constituents in estimation of postmortem interval. Journal of Forensic Sciences. 2010;55(6):523-7.

Madea B, Henssge C. Eye changes after death. IN: Henssge C and Knight B. The Estimation of the Time since Death in the Early Postmortem Period. London: Arnold Publishers. 1995:106-137.

Downloads

Published

2016-12-24

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles