Comparison of ethanol concentrations in right cardiac blood, left cardiac blood and peripheral blood in a series of 30 cases

The aim of this study was to compare ethanol concentrations in right cardiac blood, left cardiac blood and peripheral blood. Samples were taken from a series of 30 medicolegal autopsies. Ethanol was measured by headspace GC-FID. In each case, the degree of putrefaction, chest or abdominal injury, an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Forensic science international 2006-01, Vol.156 (1), p.35-39
Main Authors: Pelissier-Alicot, Anne-Laure, Coste, Nicolas, Bartoli, Christophe, Piercecchi-Marti, Marie-Dominique, Sanvoisin, Alain, Gouvernet, Joanny, Leonetti, Georges
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alcohol
Alcohol, Denatured
Analysis and chemistry
Autopsy
Biological and medical sciences
Blood
Central Nervous System Depressants - blood
Chromatography
Chromatography, Gas
Comparative analysis
Coronary Vessels
Drunkenness
Ethanol
Ethanol - blood
Forensic medicine
Forensic Pathology
Forensic sciences
Gastrointestinal Contents - chemistry
General aspects
Humans
Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects)
Left cardiac blood
Medical sciences
Peripheral blood
Post-mortem redistribution
Postmortem Changes
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Right cardiac blood
Veins & arteries
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Summary:The aim of this study was to compare ethanol concentrations in right cardiac blood, left cardiac blood and peripheral blood. Samples were taken from a series of 30 medicolegal autopsies. Ethanol was measured by headspace GC-FID. In each case, the degree of putrefaction, chest or abdominal injury, and/or regurgitation of gastric contents into the airways were noted. Our results show that there exists in certain cases a marked increase in ethanol concentration in left cardiac blood compared with right cardiac blood and peripheral blood. In these cases, we observed (i) a high concentration of ethanol in the gastric contents and (ii) regurgitation of gastric contents into the airways. The authors discuss the post-mortem redistribution mechanisms which could explain these results and stress the value of sampling right cardiac blood at autopsy.
ISSN:0379-0738
1872-6283
DOI:10.1016/j.forsciint.2004.12.008