Chair and Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, 20-090 Lublin, Jaczewskiego 8, Poland.
Forensic Sci Int. 2013 Jun 10;229(1-3):60-5. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.03.003. Epub 2013 Apr 19.
In the course of hypothermia, biochemical changes occur that are associated with stimulation of protective thermogenic mechanisms as well as mobilization of internal energy resources mediated by the hormone system. The objective of the investigation was the assessment of validity of determinations of cortisol, cortisone and corticosterone as hypothermia markers in cases of fatal hypothermia combined with concomitant insobriety of the victims. The experimental group consisted of blood samples collected in the course of medico-legal autopsies of 23 hypothermia victims. The controls included blood samples originating from 34 victims of violent sudden deaths (deaths by hanging and traffic road accidents at the scene) and from ten individuals deceased after prolonged agony in consequence of post-traumatic subdural hematomas. In both groups, three subgroups were distinguished that included cases with ethanol levels within the following ranges: 0.0-0.99, 1.0-2.99 and ≥3.0‰. The comparison of determination results showed that irrespectively of blood ethanol concentration, cortisol, cortisone and corticosterone levels seen in hypothermia victims were significantly higher as compared to the controls (P<0.001).
在体温过低过程中，会发生生化变化，这些变化与保护性产热机制的刺激以及激素系统介导的内部能量资源动员有关。研究的目的是评估在伴有同时酗酒的致命性体温过低情况下，将皮质醇、可的松和皮质酮作为体温过低标志物的测定的有效性。实验组由 23 名体温过低受害者在法医解剖过程中采集的血液样本组成。对照组包括 34 名因暴力性突然死亡（绞刑和现场交通事故）和 10 名因创伤性硬膜下血肿后长时间痛苦而死亡的个体的血液样本。在这两组中，区分了三个亚组，包括以下范围内的乙醇水平的情况：0.0-0.99、1.0-2.99 和≥3.0‰。测定结果的比较表明，无论血液乙醇浓度如何，体温过低受害者的皮质醇、可的松和皮质酮水平均明显高于对照组（P<0.001）。
