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Algor mortis: an erroneous measurement following postmortem refrigeration
Khalil S Wardak1, Stephen J Cina
1Broward County Medical Examiner's Office and Trauma Services Division, 5301 SW 31st Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312, USA. kwardak@broward.org
Journal of Forensic Sciences
|June 8, 2011
Summary
Determining the time of death using body cooling (algor mortis) is unreliable after refrigeration. Body mass index (BMI) showed a moderate correlation with cooling rate, but clothing significantly impacted results, limiting its forensic utility.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Science
- Thanatology
- Postmortem Interval Estimation
Background:
- Accurate determination of the postmortem interval (PMI) is crucial in medicolegal death investigations.
- Algor mortis, the cooling of a body after death, is a commonly used indicator for PMI estimation.
- Factors influencing body cooling rates require further investigation for improved accuracy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively evaluate the utility of algor mortis in determining the postmortem interval (PMI) in refrigerated bodies.
- To assess the correlation between body cooling rates and body mass index (BMI).
- To identify variables that may affect the accuracy of algor mortis in PMI estimation.
Main Methods:
- Core body temperatures of 19 adult bodies were recorded upon entering a morgue cooler and at 3, 6, and 9 hours post-refrigeration.
- Cooling rates were calculated and compared with the body mass index (BMI) of each individual.
- The influence of clothing (presence, layers, wetness) on cooling rates was analyzed.
Main Results:
- Body cooling rates exhibited a fairly linear trend without a plateau during refrigeration.
- A fair to moderate correlation was observed between BMI and cooling rate (cooling rate = -0.052 (BMI) + 3.52).
- Clothing variables, including presence, layers, and wetness, significantly affected the cooling rate and correlation.
Conclusions:
- Algor mortis demonstrates very limited utility in determining the postmortem interval (PMI) for refrigerated bodies.
- While BMI shows some correlation with cooling rate, its predictive power is moderate and influenced by external factors.
- Forensic investigations should consider the limitations of algor mortis, especially in cases involving refrigerated remains.
