EN | TR
    E-ISSN: 2149-4533 ISSN: 1300-865X
    Characteristics Properties of Autopsy Cases with Ethyl Alcohol and Evaluation of Their Causes of Death
    PDF
    Cite
    Share
    Request
    Original Research
    VOLUME: 26 ISSUE: 2
    P: 72-77
    August 2021

    Characteristics Properties of Autopsy Cases with Ethyl Alcohol and Evaluation of Their Causes of Death

    The Bulletin of Legal Medicine 2021;26(2):72-77
    DOI: 10.17986/blm.1364
    Yasemin Balcı 1
    Ümit Ünüvar Göçeoğlu 1
    Edip Güvenç Çekiç 2
    Betül Yürürdurmaz 1
    Bülent Savran 3
    1. Muğla Sıtkı Koçman Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Adli Tıp Anabilim Dalı, Muğla, Türkiye
    2. Muğla Sıtkı Koçman Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Farmakoloji Anabilim Dalı, Muğla, Türkiye
    3. Muğla Adli Tıp Şube Müdürlüğü, Muğla, Türkiye
    No information available.
    No information available
    Received Date: 03.12.2019
    Accepted Date: 20.08.2020
    Publish Date: 02.08.2021
    PDF
    Cite
    Share
    Request

    ABSTRACT

    Objective:

    Ethyl alcohol intoxication and abuse take place in the world and in Turkey as an important public health problem. In this study, the data of cases with ethyl alcohol as a result of toxicological examination in autopsies were compared. The aim of this study was to determine the characteristics of autopsy cases with ethyl alcohol and to compare the causes of death.

    Methods:

    The results of all autopsies performed by Muğla Forensic Medicine Institution between 2013 and 2018 were evaluated retrospectively.

    Results:

    When the alcohol detection rates were analyzed by years, it was shown that alcohol was detected in 42.2% of the autopsies performed in 2013 and in 17.2% of the autopsies performed in 2018 (p=0.000). Alcohol was found in 15.8% of the autopsies performed in women and 28.8% in men (p=0.000). The cause of death in 25.9% of the cases with alcohol was defined as a self-existing disease (heart, lung, brain, liver, stomach, etc.), whereas this rate was 34.6% in cases without alcohol. The rate of penetrating traumas (firearms, stab wounds) as the causes of death was 13.9% in alcohol-detected cases and 9.1% in alcohol-free cases.

    Conclusion:

    It has been suggested that the differences in alcohol detection rates in autopsy cases may be related to awareness studies aiming at raising social awareness. It was suggested that the difference between alcohol detection and causes of death in autopsy cases could be associated with alcohol use and increased frequency of depression/suicide risk.

    Keywords: Forensic medicine, autopsy, ethyl alcohol, cause of death

    References

    1
    Saukko P, Knight B. Knight’s Forensic Pathology. 4theEd. Raton, FL, USA: CRC Press. Taylor and Francis Group; 2016.
    2
    Can Ö. Alkol. Adli Tıp ve Adli Bilimler Kitabı. Dokgöz H, editör. 1. baskı. Ankara: Akademisyen Kitabevi; 2019:645-695.
    3
    Müsellim Turan N, Üzün İ, Gürpınar SS. Evaluation of death cases suspected of in toxication for legal and medical documents. Adli Tıp Bülteni. 2002;7(3):92-96.
    4
    Sorock GS, Chen LH, Gonzalgo SR, Baker SP. Alcohol-drinking history and fatal injury in older adults. Alcohol. 2006;40(3):193-199.
    5
    Ege B, Yemişçigil A, Aktaş EÖ, Koçak A. İzmir’de 1990-1994 Yılları Arasında Otopsisi Yapılan Olguların İncelenmesi. Adli Tıp Bülteni. 1997;2(2):58-61.
    6
    Almeida-González M, Luzardo OP, Boada LD, Zaragoza E, Meilán MJ, Zumbado M, et al. Ethanol levels in legally autopsied subjects (2016-2017): Update of data and epidemiological implications in relation to violent deaths in Canary Islands (Spain). J Forensic Leg Med. 2019;68:101868. doi: 10.1016/j.jflm.2019.101868. Epub 2019 Sep 11.
    7
    Kadı G, Çekiç EG, Erbaş M, Balcı Y. Otopsisi Yapılan Olgularda Etil Alkol Düzeyinin Değerlendirilmesi. Muğla Sıtkı Koçman Üniversitesi Tıp Dergisi. 2017;1;3(3):1-4.
    8
    Auckloo MBKM, Davies BB. Post-mortem toxicology in violent fatalities in Cape Town, South Africa: A preliminary investigation. J Forensic Leg Med. 2019;63:18-25.
    9
    Posey D, Mozayani A. The estimation of blood alcohol concentration. Forensic Sci Med Pathol. 2007;3(1):33-39.
    10
    Kelly AT, Mozayani A. An overview of alcohol testing and interpretation in the 21st century. J Pharm Pract. 2012;25(1):30-36.
    11
    de Lima IV, Midio AF. Origin of blood ethanol in decomposed bodies. Forensic Sci Int. 1999;106(3):157-162.
    12
    Takayasu T, Ohshima T, Tanaka N, Maeda H, Kondo T, Nishigami J, et al. Experimental studies on postmortem diffusion of ethanol-d6 using rats. Forensic Sci Int 1995;29;76:179-188.
    13
    Anzillotti L, Marezza F, Calò L, Cucurachi N, Veronesi L, Cecchi R. Toxicological findings: a retrospective overview of medico-legal investigations in Parma (Italy). J Forensic Leg Med. 2019;62:92-96.
    14
    Kugelberg FC, Jones AW. Interpreting results of ethanol analysis in postmortem specimens: a review of the literature. Forensic Sci Int. 2007;165(1):10-29.
    15
    Grant SA, Millar K, Kenny GN. Blood alcohol concentration and psychomotor effects. British J Anaesthesia. 2000;85(3):401-406.
    16
    Pierce DR, West JR. Blood alcohol concentration: a critical factor for producing fetal alcohol effects. Alcohol. 1986;3(4):269-272.
    17
    Durmaz Ü. Kan alkol düzeyi bakılan trafik kazası olgularının adli tıp açısından irdelenmesi. Adli Tıp Bitirme Tezi. Dicle Üniversitesi, Diyarbakır, 2018.
    18
    Dilbaz N, Aytekin Y. Suicide ideation, behavior and suicide intent of alcohodependent patients. Bağımlılık Dergisi. 2003;4(1):1-9.
    19
    Batıgün AD. Duygudurum bozuklukları, şizofreni ve alkol/madde bağımlılığında intihar. Türk Psikoloji Dergisi. 1999;2:43-72.
    20
    Türkmen N, Fedakar R Etün V, Durak D. The role of alcohol in deaths due to stab wound injuries. Adli Tıp Bülteni. 2004;7(2):45-50.
    2024 ©️ Galenos Publishing House