Contribution of biventricular cardiac blood and pleural effusion strontium concentrations to the diagnosis of drowning

Abstract

The present study evaluated cardiac blood and pleural effusion strontium (Sr) concentrations in dead bodies found in fresh water or seawater. Eighty cases that had been found in water (59 seawater, 13 fresh water, 8 unknown) were compared with 20 control cases, which had not been found in water and died due to unrelated cause of death, in terms of right ventricle cardiac blood strontium concentration (RVSr), left ventricle cardiac blood strontium concentration (LVSr) and their differences [LVSr-RVSr], as well as pleural effusion strontium concentration (PlSr). The ages of cases were between 2 and 82 years. Seventy one cases were retrieved from water within the first 24 hours. Cause of death was reported as drowning (regardless of Sr concentration) in 68 cases. Whilst 8 cases referred to the supreme board for further investigation, cause of death could not be detected in 3 cases because of advanced decomposition. Of the bodies found in seawater, LVSr and PlSr concentrations were significantly higher than the bodies found in fresh water. LVSr, RVSr and [LVSr-RVSr] concentrations were significantly higher than those of the control group. No difference was determined between the bodies found in fresh water and the control group in terms of [LVSr-RVSr] concentration.