Catecholamines in urine after death

Citation
Wp. Tormey et al., Catecholamines in urine after death, FOREN SCI I, 103(1), 1999, pp. 67-71
Citations number
12
Categorie Soggetti
Research/Laboratory Medicine & Medical Tecnology
Journal title
FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL
ISSN journal
03790738 → ACNP
Volume
103
Issue
1
Year of publication
1999
Pages
67 - 71
Database
ISI
SICI code
0379-0738(19990712)103:1<67:CIUAD>2.0.ZU;2-W
Abstract
Noradrenaline, adrenaline and dopamine levels were measured using high-perf ormance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and electrochemical detection and rela ted to urine creatinine in 30 specimens from unselected autopsies. Values c alculated from patients with essential hypertension were used as a referenc e and raised values of noradrenaline, adrenaline and dopamine were found in 76.6, 80 and 23.3%, respectively. Using the Mann-Whitney U test, there was no difference between the 11 patients with myocardial infarction and the s even who died from severe head injury or multiple trauma. The median values in mmol/mol creatinine for patients with myocardial infarction and trauma were 0.07 and 0.12 for noradrenaline and 0.012 and 0.024 for adrenaline, re spectively. Physiological stress is common before death and urine noradrena line values at autopsy overlap those found in some normal subjects and at a utopsy in patients with phaeochromocytoma. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Irelan d Ltd. All rights reserved.