Alcohol Discovered in the Urine after Death: Ante-mortem ingestion or post-mortem artefact?

Cullen, S A; Mayes, R W

doi:10.1258/rsmmsl.45.3.196

Cited by 11 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Such authors point out the need to preserve urine with sodium fluoride as is done with blood. Other have postulated that ethanol may diffuse into the bladder from nearby ethanol production in the abdominal cavity (17).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Postmortem Ethanol Concentrations and Postmortem Ethanol Production

Hanzlick

2014

Academic Forensic Pathology

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A review of the literature was conducted in reference to postmortem blood ethanol concentrations and the issue of postmortem production of ethanol. Ethanol in postmortem specimens may occur as a result of antemortem consumption (most common), postmortem production in the body or in vitro by microorganisms (less common), and endogenous production by microorganisms during life (rare). The portion of ethanol-positive postmortem cases in which postmortem production of ethanol is thought to have occurred is small, as is the portion of cases in which postmortem production of ethanol is a potentially important issue. It is unusual for postmortem production of ethanol to account for more than a 70 mg/dL concentration, but cases with higher concentrations occasionally occur. Cases in which blood ethanol is positive but vitreous ethanol concentration is much lower or negative, and/or in which the urine: blood ethanol concentration ratio is less than one are supportive of postmortem ethanol production. The presence of other alcohols such as n-propanol and/or n-butanol is suggestive of postmortem microbial production of ethanol. The ratio of serotonin metabolites in urine may be helpful in distinguishing postmortem production of ethanol from antemortem consumption, as may the concentration of ethyl glucuronide in blood. Candida and some other species may produce ethanol in urine antemortem and postmortem. In rare instances such as infections, endogenous ethanol production may occur in a living person. Recommendations are made concerning samples to collect and tests that may be helpful in distinguishing antemortem ethanol consumption from postmortem production of ethanol.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Postmortem Ethanol Concentrations and Postmortem Ethanol Production

Hanzlick

2014

Academic Forensic Pathology

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“…Resorption of drugs (and metabolites) contained within the bladder into surrounding tissues is also possible if collected blood is sourced from near the bladder. Post‐mortem formation of ethanol can also lead to diffusion of this drug into the bladder leading to a possible false interpretation of prior alcohol consumption (Cullen & Mayes, 2005).…”

Section: Drug Distributionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There was also alcohol present in blood of these cases with an average ratio of urine to blood alcohol of about 0.56; however, this varied from 0.18 to over unity. The study concluded that alcohol presence in these decomposing cases were all due to an artifact caused by passive diffusion of alcohol (originally produced by fermentation in the body) into the bladder (Cullen & Mayes, 2005).…”

Section: Alcoholmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post‐mortem redistribution of drugs and other factors affecting interpretation: A review

Drummer

Gerostamoulos

2023

WIREs Forensic Science

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Changes in the post-mortem concentration of drugs, such as through redistributive processes are well known, although not well understood in terms of the mechanisms operating in particular cases and the extent it influences an interpretation of the reported concentrations. This advanced review outlines the mechanisms known to potentially alter blood and tissue concentrations and focuses on publications over the last decade that attempt to quantify the extent of changes occurring for specific drugs or drug classes. Most of the more recent studies show time-dependent changes that do not always alter concentrations in one direction, let alone to the same extent. This increases the uncertainty of interpretation, particularly for drugs with a narrow therapeutic index. Nevertheless, guidelines are provided in this review to improve interpretation of post-mortem drug concentrations in cases where a psychoactive substance(s) are a possible contribution to death.

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“…Максимальная относительная погрешность ХТА составила 20%. Концентрацию этанола измеряли в так называемых массообъемных промилле (‰ ВАС by volume), эквивалентом которых являются единицы измерения, выраженные в граммах этанола на литр цельной крови (г/дм 3…”

Section: материал и методы исследованияunclassified

“…На результаты химико-токсикологического анализа (ХТА) могут оказывать влияние как экзогенные загрязнения биологических объектов, подлежащих исследованию, так и другие факторы. Основными из них являются: посмертная диффузия этанола, процессы посмертного новообразования и распада этанола, как в самом трупе, так и в изъятых от него пробах, технические погрешности ХТА, забора и хранения проб [1][2][3][4]. Поэтому одной из актуальных научных проблем в судебной медицине является разработка способов диагностики посмертных артефактов определения концентрации этанола в трупной крови или моче [5][6][7].…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

Statistical diagnostics of postmortem artifacts for determination of ethanol concentration

Nedugov

Владимирович²,

Ardashkin

et al. 2019

Science and Innovations in Medicine

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Objectives - statistical estimation of the physiological limits of the quantitative distribution of ethanol in cadaveric blood and bladder urine and development of an automated method for diagnosing postmortem artifacts of forensic medical examination of acute alcohol intoxication on the corpse. Material and methods. We performed a retrospective statistical analysis of the results of toxicological determination of ethanol concentration in a blood and in the urine in 2376 deaths from acute alcohol intoxication. Results. Regression equations have been developed that allow us to determine the physiological limits of the quantitative distribution of ethanol in blood and urine with any confidence probability for any degree of alcohol intoxication and phase of acute alcohol intoxication. The set of computational procedures is implemented in the format of the computer program "Alcohol calculator Z 3.0". Conclusion. If the concentrations of ethanol in the blood or in the urine are beyond their physiological limits, the results of toxicological analysis should be considered as a postmortem artifact.

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Alcohol Discovered in the Urine after Death: Ante-mortem ingestion or post-mortem artefact?

Cited by 11 publications

References 7 publications

Postmortem Ethanol Concentrations and Postmortem Ethanol Production

Postmortem Ethanol Concentrations and Postmortem Ethanol Production

Post‐mortem redistribution of drugs and other factors affecting interpretation: A review

Statistical diagnostics of postmortem artifacts for determination of ethanol concentration

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