Can Vitreous Potassium Concentration Predict Postmortem Interval in Cases of Poisoning and Burns? A Cross Sectional Study from a Medical School

Abstract

Background: Estimation of time elapsed after death remains one of the most important requirements in medico legal autopsies. Time since death (TSD) provides a clue to the investigating officer to institute suitable inquiries to apprehend the person likely to be responsible for crime and to eliminate the innocent ones. Aim: Aim of the current study was to analyze and ascertain the relationship between vitreous K+ concentration and TSD among poisoning and burn cases. We also aimed to derive a formula for determining TSD from changes in levels of vitreous K + concentration. Methods: The present cross sectional study was carried out among the autopsy cases brought to the mortuary of Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology of a medical school for the post mortem examination. All the autopsy cases were entailed the collection of vitreous humour for determination of vitreous potassium. Data of all those autopsy cases was analyzed in which cause of death was either poisoning or burns. Potassium levels were quantified in the collected sample by the ion-selective electrode method. Regression and correlation analysis were performed. Results: Data of 72 study subjects belonging to poisoning and burn cases were analyzed. The mean vitreous