Research Advances in Postmortem Chemistry / 法医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Postm ortem chem istry is becom ing m ore and m ore essential in routine forensic pathology and has m ade considerable progress over the past years. B iochem ical analyses of vitreous hum or, blood, urine and cerebrospinal fluid m ay provide im portant inform ation in determ ining the cause of death or in elucidating forensic issues. Postm ortem chem istry m ay be essential for the determ ination of cause of death w hen m orphological m ethods (diabetes m ellitus, alcoholic ketoacidosis and electrolytic disorders) cannot detect the pathophysiological changes involved in the death process. It can also provide m any in-form ation in other forensic situations, including m yocardial ischem ia, sepsis, inflam m ation, infection, ana-phylaxis and horm onal disturbances. T he m ost recent relevant research advances on glucose m etabolism , liver function, cardiac function, renal function, sepsis, inflam m ation, infection, anaphylaxis and horm onal aspect are hereby review ed.