Corpus of biochemical changes after death by potassium intoxication in rabbits / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the objective evidence of the corpus biochemical changes in rabbits for postmortem diagnosis of potassium intoxication.@*METHODS@#Rabbits were sacrificed by Infusion of 0.3% KCl at full speed push or 1% KCl at 100 drip/min, respectively, with normal rabbits used as control. Cardiac blood and urine samples were collected before and after potassium infusion to examine the concentrations of various electrolytes (K+, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl-, and HCO3-) and to observe the antemortem and postmortem biochemical changes.@*RESULTS@#The mean lethal infusion time in the 0.3%KCl group was longer than that in the 1% KCl group (P = 0.006). The serum concentration of K+ increased while the serum concentrations of Na+, Ca2+, Cl-, and HCO3- decreased after the infusion. There were no statistically significant differences in the whole blood concentration of K+ as well as the serum concentration of Mg2+ between the two groups (P = 0.062). There were statistically significant differences in the concentrations of whole blood K+, as well as serum Na+, Mg2+, and Cl-, but not in the serum K+, Ca2+, and HCO3-. There were no statistically significant differences seen in the urine volumes and the concentrations of all the urine electrolytes between the groups.@*CONCLUSION@#Examination of the concentrations of K+ both in the whole blood and serum, as well as Mg2+ in the serum may be helpful for postmortem diagnosis of potassium intoxication.

Morphological changes in rabbits died of potassium intoxication / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#Morphologic features of the corpse of rabbits died of potassium intoxication were studied in order to elucidate an objective evidence for forensic determination of death caused by potassium intoxication.@*METHODS@#Macroscopic, microscopic, and ultrastructural (by transmission electron microscopy) changes were observed in the heart, brain, and kidney of rabbits killed by intravenous push or continuous infusion at 100 drips per minute with 0.3% and 1% KCl, respectively. Normal rabbits without any treatment killed by bleeding were used as controls.@*RESULTS@#Macroscopically, cardiac dilatation and congestion/stasis as well as ischemic and hypoxic changes in various organs were observed in rabbits died of potassium injection. Microscopically and ultrastructurally, there were destruction of the cardiac fibers with thickening, concentrating, or disappearing of the Z-line, constriction of the glomerular capillaries, enlargement of the Bowman capsule, thinning and fusion of foot processes, as well as apoptosis with phagocytosis in brain observed, particularly in the group infused with 1% KCl.@*CONCLUSION@#The morphologic changes observed in the heart and kidney appear to be characteristic, supporting death caused by potassium intoxication.

Analysis of relationship between injury and disease by cardiac functional indicators in hypertension rat after trauma / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the changes of cardiac functional indicators in spontaneously hypertension rats (SHR) suffered by struck injuries of soft tissues, form which to discuss the significance in relationship between injury and disease.@*METHODS@#SHRs were divided into four groups according to the degree, and whose thigh was struck with the homemade hit instrument. Then the blood pressure, heart rate as well as serum biochemical indicators (CK, CK-Mb, LDH, Cr, BUN, HBDH and AST) were examined. In addition, the morphological changes of heart, brain and kidney were also observed.@*RESULTS@#The observe values of heart rate and blood pressure of SHRs seemed have relation to the degree of damage, but there were no statistically significance between different hit degree groups. In terms of serum biochemical indicators, all seven indicators of the hit group had significant difference with that of the control group, and the AST CK, CK-MB levels were difference between the group of different strike degree.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Struck injuries of soft tissues can result in forepart damage of cardiac muscle. The biochemical indicators reflect the degree of injury, and they could be used as a type of objective enzymology indicators for analysis of the relationship between injury and disease in forensic practice.