Catecholamines in urine after death

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Updated: Oct 19, 2026

A Convenient Method for Extraction and Analysis with High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography of Catecholamine Neurotransmitters and Their Metabolites
13:35

A Convenient Method for Extraction and Analysis with High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography of Catecholamine Neurotransmitters and Their Metabolites

Published on: March 1, 2018

W P Tormey1, M Carney, R J FitzGerald

  • 1Department of Chemical Pathology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.

Forensic Science International
|August 28, 1999
PubMed

Insights

This study measured catecholamine levels in autopsy urine, finding elevated noradrenaline and adrenaline in most cases. These stress markers showed no significant difference between myocardial infarction and trauma deaths.

Area of Science:

  • Forensic Medicine
  • Clinical Chemistry
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Catecholamine levels in urine can indicate physiological stress.
  • Autopsy studies provide insights into post-mortem biochemical changes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To measure noradrenaline, adrenaline, and dopamine levels in autopsy urine.
  • To compare these levels with essential hypertension reference values.
  • To investigate differences in catecholamine levels between causes of death.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 30 unselected autopsy urine specimens.
  • High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrochemical detection.
  • Measurement of catecholamines relative to urine creatinine.

Main Results:

  • Elevated noradrenaline (76.6%), adrenaline (80%), and dopamine (23.3%) were observed compared to hypertension reference values.
  • No significant difference in median noradrenaline or adrenaline levels between myocardial infarction and trauma deaths.
  • Autopsy noradrenaline values overlapped with normal subjects and phaeochromocytoma cases.

Conclusions:

  • Autopsy urine catecholamine levels are frequently elevated, suggesting physiological stress prior to death.
  • Myocardial infarction and severe trauma do not show distinct post-mortem urine catecholamine profiles.
  • Further research is needed to interpret these findings in relation to specific pathologies.

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