Journal of forensic sciences最新文献_第3页

Impact of Marabunta ants on post-mortem interval estimation in pigs: Insights from Okuku, Nigeria. Marabunta蚂蚁对猪死后间隔估计的影响：来自尼日利亚Okuku的见解。

Journal of forensic sciences Pub Date : 2025-05-25 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.70067

Cletus Obun, Darlington Nnamdi Onyejike, Ugochukwu Godfrey Esomonu, Ogugua Augustine Egwu, Chiwendu Modesta Dimkpa

{"title":"Impact of Marabunta ants on post-mortem interval estimation in pigs: Insights from Okuku, Nigeria.","authors":"Cletus Obun, Darlington Nnamdi Onyejike, Ugochukwu Godfrey Esomonu, Ogugua Augustine Egwu, Chiwendu Modesta Dimkpa","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70067","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70067","url":null,"abstract":"The rising homicide rates in Nigeria underscore the necessity for comprehensive post-mortem interval (PMI) estimations to enhance the reliability of forensic investigations. This study investigates the impact of Marabunta ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on the decomposition process and PMI estimation in pig carcasses during the wet season in Okuku, Nigeria. Using two juvenile domestic pigs, we employed a controlled experimental approach at the Department of Anatomy and Forensic Anthropology Research Facility. The study spanned 30 days, with systematic observations of postmortem changes, insect activity and environmental conditions recorded at specified intervals. Results indicated pronounced effects of Marabunta ants on decomposition dynamics. Notably, the presence of these ants altered the expected insect succession patterns, delaying the colonisation by blowflies, which typically dominate the initial decay stages. By the second day, marked ant activity was observed, leading to distinct bite marks on the carcasses, while the other carcasses exhibited standard decomposition without any interference. Accumulated degree days (ADD) and total body scores (TBS) demonstrated a parabolic relationship, revealing rapid initial decay followed by a stabilisation phase as skeletonisation progressed. This research confirms that environmental conditions and insect activities significantly influence decomposition rates and PMI estimations. The findings suggest a need for forensic practitioners to recognise the role of Marabunta ants in decay processes and the potential misinterpretations of ant-induced marks as perimortem injuries. Future studies should explore seasonal variations in decomposition and insect succession to refine forensic entomological methodologies.","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144145263","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Effects of sodium fluoride on serum concentrations of selected psychotropic drugs. 氟化钠对选定精神药物血清浓度的影响。

Journal of forensic sciences Pub Date : 2025-05-25 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.70081

Jennifer Liut, Julian Prangenberg, Michael Krämer, Alexandra Maas-Gramlich, Peter Heese, Markus Banger, Burkard Madea

{"title":"Effects of sodium fluoride on serum concentrations of selected psychotropic drugs.","authors":"Jennifer Liut, Julian Prangenberg, Michael Krämer, Alexandra Maas-Gramlich, Peter Heese, Markus Banger, Burkard Madea","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70081","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70081","url":null,"abstract":"Caution is imperative when interpreting drug concentrations in blood, plasma, or serum, given the potential variance in the distribution of a compound across these fluids. Preservatives, such as sodium fluoride, prove beneficial in preventing drug degradation in collected blood samples. This study aimed to examine the impact of sodium fluoride on different psychotropic drugs in both serum stabilized with and without this preservative. Paired blood samples (n = 100) were collected at the same time (with and without fluoride) from patients undergoing psychiatric treatment. Samples were examined for different compounds including antidepressants, antipsychotics, antiepileptics, and benzodiazepines using routine liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry methods. Results were statistically evaluated and tested by using a paired t-test (α = 0.05) in order to evaluate possible differences between drug concentrations in samples obtained from blood with or without fluoride. Median concentration ratios (fluoride-stabilized/fluoride-free) of all examined drugs ranged from 0.70 to 1.13 in the patient samples. For most substances exhibiting concentration ratios less than 1, the results indicated that concentrations in the samples with fluoride were, on average, 6%-30% lower than in samples without fluoride. Differences between drug concentrations in the patient samples were mainly attributed to matrix effects and fluoride-induced hemolysis. The latter causing a shift in erythrocytes resulting in serum/plasma dilution, leading to under-/overestimation of a drug. The findings of this study can provide guidance for the interpretation of drug concentrations for therapeutic drug monitoring or assessment of acute drug-induced impairment in cases were fluoridated serum/plasma is used.","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144145259","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Air embolism as evidence of antemortem sexual activity. 空气栓塞是死前性行为的证据。

Journal of forensic sciences Pub Date : 2025-05-25 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.70098

Hsuan-Yun Hu, Shyh-Yuh Wei, Chih-Hsin Pan

{"title":"Air embolism as evidence of antemortem sexual activity.","authors":"Hsuan-Yun Hu, Shyh-Yuh Wei, Chih-Hsin Pan","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70098","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70098","url":null,"abstract":"In the forensic autopsy examination of sexual assault cases, two essential questions must be addressed: whether sexual activity occurred, and whether sexual activity occurred antemortem or postmortem. However, confirming sexual activity can be challenging, particularly when the activity may not have involved penis-in-vagina intercourse and when semen detection results are negative. Moreover, determining whether the sexual activity took place antemortem or postmortem solely through forensic autopsy can be difficult. Here, we report a forensic autopsy case of sexual homicide with air embolism, suggesting antemortem sexual activity. Histopathological observations revealed that the origin of right ventricular air embolism was uterine vein exposure, allowing a significant amount of air to enter the endometrial cavity and eventually the bloodstream through venous exposure. Multiple squamous epithelial cells were identified in the endometrial cavity, indicating that an external force had pushed detached epithelial cells from the cervix or vagina into the uterine cavity. The present case highlights the importance of considering air embolism in suspected sexual assault cases.","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144145256","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Quantitative assessment of barrel wear from solid copper bullets. 实心铜弹枪管磨损的定量评定。

Journal of forensic sciences Pub Date : 2025-05-25 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.70094

Natali L Hassett, Eric F Law, Stephanie C Luehr

{"title":"Quantitative assessment of barrel wear from solid copper bullets.","authors":"Natali L Hassett, Eric F Law, Stephanie C Luehr","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70094","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70094","url":null,"abstract":"Forensic firearm and toolmark identification is based on the principle that firearms possess and impart individual characteristics on fired ammunition, which can be used to identify a bullet back to the barrel from which it was fired. However, these characteristics may change due to use, presenting challenges for firearm examiners. The goal of this research was to determine how solid copper bullets affect barrel-rifling characteristics after firing 500 rounds through a new Glock 19 Gen 5 pistol with a Glock Marksman Barrel (GMB). Of the 500 bullets, the first 10, last 10, and every tenth in-between were collected in consecutive order for a total of 68 bullets. Three-dimensional (3D) scans of the land engraved areas (LEAs) were generated using the Cadre Forensics Versa system. Cadre Forensics' implementation of the Congruent Matching Profile Segments (CMPS) algorithm was used to compare the linear striation profiles of the LEAs. These data were analyzed using the Kwiatkowski-Phillips-Schmidt-Shin (KPSS) time series test, resulting in a statistically significant decreasing trend (p < 0.01) across CMPS scores from bullet 1 to bullet 500. Based on the algorithm scores and visual comparisons of the LEA scans, this study demonstrated that solid copper bullets eroded barrel characteristics over 500 shots to where an identification likely would not be made when comparing bullet 1 to bullet 500. These results indicate that firearm examiners need to consider the time between a shooting event and firearm recovery to account for potential changes to barrel characteristics that may impact bullet comparison interpretation.","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144145265","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Forensic analysis of small architectural and vehicle glass fragments using recent developments in μXRF technology. 利用最新发展的μXRF技术对小型建筑和车辆玻璃碎片进行法医分析。

Journal of forensic sciences Pub Date : 2025-05-25 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.70096

Zachary Andrews, Troy Ernst, Ruthmara Corzo, Cedric Neumann, Tatiana Trejos

{"title":"Forensic analysis of small architectural and vehicle glass fragments using recent developments in μXRF technology.","authors":"Zachary Andrews, Troy Ernst, Ruthmara Corzo, Cedric Neumann, Tatiana Trejos","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70096","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70096","url":null,"abstract":"Glass fragments are frequently recovered during criminal investigations as they can provide links between the crime scene, suspects, or victims. The elemental composition of glass is often used to determine if there is a source commonality between glass samples. Micro-X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (μXRF) is a standard technique for elemental glass comparisons due to its high informing power, low cost, rapid analysis time, and non-destructive nature. In recent years, advancements in μXRF technology, such as silicon drift detectors (SDD), have improved precision and analysis time and increased adoption in crime laboratories. Furthermore, the superior precision afforded by SDD technology has been hypothesized to allow for accurate analysis of much thinner glass fragments, expanding its applicability to casework scenarios where smaller fragments are encountered. This study compares results for the μXRF analysis of full-thickness (≈2 mm) and thin glass fragments (10 to 50 μm) for different types of float glass. The proposed modified 3s comparison criterion results in a false exclusion rate of less than 2.5% and a false inclusion rate of less than 1.5% for full-thickness fragments. Thin fragments yielded false exclusion and false inclusion rates of less than 12% and 7.5%, respectively. A spectral similarity metric, spectral contrast angle ratio (SCAR), was tested to quantitatively evaluate spectral similarity, achieving accuracies of greater than 98% and 91% for full-thickness fragments and thin fragments, respectively. These findings show that while full-thickness fragments produce more precise data, μXRF-SDD is suitable for fragments as thin as 10 μm.","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144145261","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Determination of erythrocyte degradation levels and estimation of age blood spot using atomic force microscopy. 原子力显微镜测定红细胞降解水平和测定年龄血斑。

Journal of forensic sciences Pub Date : 2025-05-25 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.70095

Emrah Bayram

{"title":"Determination of erythrocyte degradation levels and estimation of age blood spot using atomic force microscopy.","authors":"Emrah Bayram","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70095","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70095","url":null,"abstract":"Blood stains can be used to understand the dynamics of a crime, to verify the identity of a suspect, to perform pattern analysis in reconstructing the incident, or to determine the time when a crime was committed. Changes in the cell and cell membrane surfaces of erythrocytes, which are blood cells, can be indicators for quantitative assessment of the time of the crime. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a rapidly developing tool that has recently been used to assess the age of blood stains and has the potential to provide useful information for forensic investigation. In this study, erythrocytes were observed to exhibit morphological changes in the cell surface over time using AFM and cellular viscoelasticity through force-distance curve measurements. Approximately, 80 natural erythrocytes were measured in the experiments. Topographic measurements were made for each erythrocyte. It was observed that the biconcave shapes of erythrocytes deteriorated over time and that there were differences in the cross-sectional planes of the cell membrane. As a result, it was observed that the shapes of erythrocytes deformed over time. In our study, images that can determine the changes in the morphological properties of erythrocytes were successfully obtained, and cell morphological properties and cell viscoelasticity could be observed with AFM. On the 1st day, the deepest part of the erythrocytes was 354.50 nm on average, 176.01 nm on the 7th day, 116.31 nm on the 14th day, and 56.99 nm on the 30th day. Accordingly, Young's modulus (Force curve analysis) was measured to check the stresses occurring on the membrane surfaces. On the 1st day, the young's modulus of the erythrocyte membrane was 184.20 MPa on average, 345.57 MPa on the 7th day, 763.48 MPa on the 14th day, and 1631.82 MPa on the 30th day. The results of this study showed the effectiveness of AFM in detecting structural and morphological changes that occur during the aging process of erythrocytes.","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144145257","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Interpreting DNA under fingernails given activity level propositions. 根据活动水平推断指甲下的DNA。

Journal of forensic sciences Pub Date : 2025-05-23 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.70090

John Buckleton, Duncan Taylor, James Curran, Simone Gittelson, Tim Kalafut

{"title":"Interpreting DNA under fingernails given activity level propositions.","authors":"John Buckleton, Duncan Taylor, James Curran, Simone Gittelson, Tim Kalafut","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70090","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70090","url":null,"abstract":"We have generated a general lookup table of LRs that could be used in the general case of a person of interest (POI) accused of attacking a complainant and the evidence is DNA from fingernails of the complainant. We consider that social interaction may have occurred between the complainant and the POI or others, comments from the complainant about scratching the attacker (or not), and visible scratches on the POI (or not). The LRs are generally small, ranging from a few thousand to less than one. If POI and no other DNA (except the complainant (C)) are present with no opportunity for social interaction between C and POI, then the LR is assigned a value in the thousands. The evidence supports the Hp proposition (LR between 3 and 10) more than the alternative if there has been socialization between C and POI, and as long as there is no unknown DNA observed. The presence of unknown DNA as well as POI DNA gives LRs from 500 to 700 in the absence of social contact between C and POI. The evidence is neutral if neither POI nor unknown DNA is present. DNA analysis of fingernails is exculpatory if the POI is excluded from the findings and unknown DNA is present. Considering whether the complainant claims to have scratched her attacker increases the discrimination power of the model by a small amount, increasing the support for Hp when only POI DNA is present, or increasing the support for Ha if only unknown DNA is present.","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144136611","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

A geospatial analysis of subway-related fatalities in New York City (2008-2021). 2008-2021年纽约市地铁相关死亡的地理空间分析。

Journal of forensic sciences Pub Date : 2025-05-22 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.70086

Justin Z Goldstein, Jeremy Simmons, Kelsey Opozda, Bradley J Adams

{"title":"A geospatial analysis of subway-related fatalities in New York City (2008-2021).","authors":"Justin Z Goldstein, Jeremy Simmons, Kelsey Opozda, Bradley J Adams","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70086","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70086","url":null,"abstract":"The New York City (NYC) subway system is one of the largest rapid transit systems in the world. With an annual ridership of 1 billion people, subway-related fatalities present a significant public health concern. Properly contextualizing such fatality data is imperative to understanding relevant risk factors. This paper reviews all subway-related fatalities in NYC occurring between 2008 and 2021 (n = 838). Descriptive statistics for fatalities considered manner of death, decedent demographics, season of death, and day of the week when the death occurred. In addition, a geospatial approach was applied to map subway-related fatalities using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Fatality points were geocoded across NYC, and weighted density variables were calculated for each borough and manner of death. Weighted kernel density maps were generated in ArcGIS Pro to highlight hotspots of relative risk across the city and within each borough. Results indicate that suicides make up nearly half of all NYC subway-related fatalities (n = 409, 48.8%), followed by accidents (n = 277, 33%) and undetermined deaths (n = 143, 17.1%). Despite public concern surrounding being pushed onto subway tracks, homicides of this nature in NYC are undeniably rare (n = 9, 1.1% of all fatalities). The observed subway-related fatality trends are consistent with previous subway fatality research in NYC and also larger fatality (specifically suicide) trends in the United States. The geospatial distribution of subway-related fatalities, season of occurrence, and day of the week of occurrence are discussed, emphasizing the need for the targeted development of suicide-specific and accident-specific public health interventions.","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144129832","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Development of a 3D-printed skull positioning device for forensic dental radiography. 用于法医牙科放射照相的3d打印颅骨定位装置的开发。

Journal of forensic sciences Pub Date : 2025-05-22 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.70093

Ji-Hwan Park, Chang-Un Choi, Won-Joon Lee, Kyoung Min Koh

{"title":"Development of a 3D-printed skull positioning device for forensic dental radiography.","authors":"Ji-Hwan Park, Chang-Un Choi, Won-Joon Lee, Kyoung Min Koh","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70093","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70093","url":null,"abstract":"In forensic autopsies of unidentified decedents, the collection of biological identification information is essential. However, when a body is discovered after a prolonged post-mortem interval, decomposition often results in the loss of primary identifiers, such as fingerprints, complicating the identification process. In such cases, forensic odontological analysis of the teeth and surrounding structures provides critical information. Post-mortem dental radiography is a fundamental component of this analysis. However, conventional panoramic radiography and cone-beam computed tomography systems have been designed for use on living individuals, making accurate positioning and stabilization of the skull for radiographic acquisition particularly challenging with these systems. Even when imaging is successfully performed, anatomical alterations and the loss of soft tissue structures in the craniofacial region can lead to radiographs with inconsistent resolution, particularly in the maxilla and mandible. This study aims to design and fabricate a device that enables precise and stable skull positioning during post-mortem panoramic dental radiography while ensuring uniform image resolution. We successfully designed a device using readily available materials with a straightforward design. The device is easily attachable to existing panoramic radiography equipment and ensures consistent radiographic quality by addressing anatomical discrepancies between antemortem and post-mortem conditions. The broad application of the proposed skull positioning and stabilization device, as well as the manufacturing process, in forensic odontological investigations may enhance the efficiency and accuracy of the identification process for unidentified decedents.","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144129834","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

A fatal case of torsemide abuse based on forensic autopsy findings. 基于法医尸检结果的致死性虐尸案。

Journal of forensic sciences Pub Date : 2025-05-22 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.70091

Akina Nara, Chiho Yamada, Yu Kozakai, Manami Suyama, Masaki Yoshida, Kaori Iwahara, Tetsuya Takagi

{"title":"A fatal case of torsemide abuse based on forensic autopsy findings.","authors":"Akina Nara, Chiho Yamada, Yu Kozakai, Manami Suyama, Masaki Yoshida, Kaori Iwahara, Tetsuya Takagi","doi":"10.1111/1556-4029.70091","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70091","url":null,"abstract":"Loop diuretics, such as torsemide, are generally prescribed to improve symptoms of edema in patients with heart failure. However, they are sometimes used inappropriately by individuals for weight loss or by athletes attempting to rapidly excrete water to mask other prohibited substances. Chronic abuse of loop diuretics can lead to persistent hypokalemia, which may cause renal impairment known as pseudo-Bartter syndrome, occasionally resulting in emergencies or fatalities. In the present study, a Japanese woman in her early 40s died after consuming approximately 150 tablets of 20-mg torsemide over six weeks prior to her death. The autopsy findings revealed that the kidneys had coarsely textured surfaces with fine granules, while the histopathological examination confirmed features consistent with pseudo-Bartter syndrome. The serum blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels of the deceased patient were 28.7 and 1.64 mg/dL, respectively, which were more elevated than the standard reference values. A detailed toxicological analysis method was established to quantify torsemide in human whole blood using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The torsemide concentrations in the left and right cardiac blood were 2.97 and 2.56 μg/mL, respectively. Based on the case history, autopsy findings, histopathological examination results, and toxicological results, the cause of death was determined to be intoxication due to prolonged torsemide misuse. To our knowledge, this is the first reported autopsy case of a fatality resulting from an inappropriate use of torsemide. It was suggested that loop diuretics, including torsemide, should only be taken with a prescription from a doctor.","PeriodicalId":94080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of forensic sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144129830","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0