Estimation of early postmortem intervals by a multiple regression analysis using rectal temperature and non-temperature based postmortem changes

Abstract

Five general methods based on rectal temperature and a multiple regression analysis using rectal temperature and non-temperature based postmortem changes were applied to 212 postmortem cases of within 24 h postmortem (PM) intervals. Non-temperature based postmortem changes of rigidity, hypostasis and corneal turbidity were numerically categorized and used with rectal temperatures as four statistical variables in the multiple regression analysis. The correlation coefficient values between true and calculated postmortem intervals were 0.78–0.82 in the five general methods based on rectal temperature. The multiple regression analysis produced a multiple correlation coefficient value of 0.89 and according to the error ranges of the PM intervals, 72% of the cases were estimated within the error of ±1.0 h and 92% within ±5.0 h. Although assessments of non-temperature based PM changes are mostly subjective and have a wide variation, the present study demonstrated a usefulness of non-temperature based PM changes in the estimation of PM intervals.