Role of Vitreous Humor and Synovial Fluid Potassium Levels in Estimating Postmortem Interval: A Study

Abstract

Determining the time since death is a crucial aspect of a forensic autopsy as it helps establish the sequence of
events leading to death, narrow down the list of potential suspects, and aid in legal investigations. The postmortem
interval can be estimated using various indicators such as body temperature, rigor mortis, and biochemical
changes in bodily fluids, and this information can provide valuable insights into the circumstances surrounding
the death. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between post-mortem interval and the levels of sodium
and potassium in vitreous humor and synovial fluid. The study included 100 cases, with 71% males and 29%
females, and poisoning cases were the most prevalent. The results indicated a linear correlation between time since
death and potassium levels in both vitreous humor and synovial fluid, suggesting that potassium concentration
values could be useful for estimating time since death. However, sodium levels showed a negative correlation,
indicating they are not significant for this purpose. These findings could be valuable for forensic investigations
and the determination of the time since death. Additionally, the study found that alcohol could be detected from
vitreous humor, further highlighting its potential as a forensic tool.