[Postmortem increase in potassium in the vitreous humor. Which parameters are suitable as indicators of antemortem agonal electrolyte imbalance?].

The relationship between a rise in the potassium concentration in the vitreous humor and the time of death has been established by several authors. Sturner (1963) and Adelson (1963) have been able to demonstrate a more precise relationship between potassium and the time of death in cases of sudden death and death occurring within 6 h as opposed to death after a chronic, lingering disease. However, the duration of the terminal episode cannot always be assessed in forensic medicine. Therefore, it would be valuable if other parameters could also be established that would indicate an agonal dysregulation of electrolytes. Our study revealed that sodium, urea, chloride, and calcium are of great value in indicating antemortem electrolyte imbalance because of their stability in the vitreous humor after death. The first results established that urea may be a suitable internal standard.