Improved estimation of postmortem interval based on differential behaviour of vitreous potassium and hypoxantine in death by hanging

Extrapolation of Three Hourly Post-Mortem Interval using Some Vitreous Chemistry Parameters

“…The result of the study concurred with that of Sturner [18], Jaffee [17], Hanson et al [24], Leay and Farber [25], Coe [19], Blumanfield et al [26], Madea et al [27] and Amith [15]. Similar reports were also seen in the works of Stephens and Richards [28], Lang et al [29], James et al [30], Munoz et al [31] and Prasad et al [32]. However, the result of this work was in a sharp contrast with that of Blumanfield et al (1979) and Chandrakanth et al [21] The correlation coefficient value of vitreous potassium was 0.88 which according Mac'Odo [33] is a highly dependable relationship.…”

Is there recent progress in the estimation of the postmortem interval by means of thanatochemistry?

“…In theory, it might be expected that a parameter such as a postmortem increase which is solely due to diffusion would correlate much more strongly with time since death than would a parameter that increases due to vital/postmortem degradation and diffusion. The higher precision of death time estimation by vitreous potassium compared to vitreous Hx becomes also apparent from data published by Munoz et al [41].…”

Free Amino Acid Concentrations in Vitreous Humor and Cerebrospinal Fluid in Relation to the Cause of Death and Postmortem Interval

“…Despite its large margin of error within the first 24 h after death, it is generally accepted as the best biochemical test available for longer PMI. In 1963, Sturner (2) was the first to report a formula to calculate PMI from vitreous potassium concentration; this approach was reformulated later using modern statistical methods (3–5), and improved by the use of potassium as the independent variable, instead of the dependent variable (5,6). …”