Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 8, 2026

Quantitative Determination of De Novo Fatty Acid Synthesis in Brown Adipose Tissue Using Deuterium Oxide

Quantitative Determination of De Novo Fatty Acid Synthesis in Brown Adipose Tissue Using Deuterium Oxide

Published on: May 12, 2023

Postmortem distribution of 3-beta-hydroxybutyrate.

Cristian Palmiere¹, Patrice Mangin, Dominique Werner

¹University Centre of Legal Medicine, Rue du Bugnon 21, 1011, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Journal of Forensic Sciences

|August 29, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Therapeutic vs. Recreational Use of Cocaine: Avoiding Diagnostic and Judicial Errors Through Interprofessional Collaboration-A Five-Case Report.

Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)·2025

Same author

The Probability of Remaining Under Active Surveillance for Localized Prostate Cancer: An Analysis of Young Patients in the Framework of the Multicenter ProjuMa Registry Study.

Deutsches Arzteblatt international·2025

Same author

Difference in Central and Peripheral Total Tryptase Concentration/Level in Fatal Anaphylaxis: A Case Report.

The American journal of forensic medicine and pathology·2025

Same author

Relapse of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin-Induced Hyperthyroidism and Severe Hyperemesis Gravidarum Secondary to Twin-Twin Transfusion Syndrome, With Rapid Recovery Following Fetoscopic Laser Coagulation: Case Report.

Frontiers in endocrinology·2021

Same author

Preliminary Metabolomic Profiling of the Vitreous Humor from Hypothermia Fatalities.

Journal of proteome research·2021

Same author

Levels of haemolysis have no effect on femoral vein post-mortem tryptase levels.

Medicine, science, and the law·2021

Postmortem analysis reveals that 3-beta-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) in pericardial fluid and vitreous humor are reliable alternatives to blood for determination. Urine 3HB levels were elevated, while cerebrospinal fluid 3HB was generally lower but diagnostic when significantly increased.

Area of Science:

Forensic Toxicology
Biochemistry
Postmortem Analysis

Background:

3-beta-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) is a ketone body with implications in metabolic states.
Postmortem fluid analysis for biomarkers requires validation across different sample types.
Medico-legal autopsies provide a unique dataset for evaluating postmortem biomarker stability and utility.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the utility of various postmortem fluids for 3-beta-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) determination.
To compare 3HB concentrations across femoral blood, urine, vitreous humor, pericardial fluid, and cerebrospinal fluid.
To assess the reliability of alternative fluids (vitreous, pericardial) as substitutes for blood in postmortem 3HB analysis.

Main Methods:

Retrospective analysis of medico-legal autopsy cases.

Keywords:

3-beta-hydroxybutyrate blood cerebrospinal fluid forensic science pericardial fluid postmortem chemistry urine vitreous humor

More Related Videos

Arteriovenous Metabolomics to Measure In Vivo Metabolite Exchange in Brown Adipose Tissue

Arteriovenous Metabolomics to Measure In Vivo Metabolite Exchange in Brown Adipose Tissue

Published on: October 6, 2023

Stereotaxic Infusion of Oligomeric Amyloid-beta into the Mouse Hippocampus

Stereotaxic Infusion of Oligomeric Amyloid-beta into the Mouse Hippocampus

Published on: June 17, 2015

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 8, 2026

Quantitative Determination of De Novo Fatty Acid Synthesis in Brown Adipose Tissue Using Deuterium Oxide

Quantitative Determination of De Novo Fatty Acid Synthesis in Brown Adipose Tissue Using Deuterium Oxide

Published on: May 12, 2023

Arteriovenous Metabolomics to Measure In Vivo Metabolite Exchange in Brown Adipose Tissue

Arteriovenous Metabolomics to Measure In Vivo Metabolite Exchange in Brown Adipose Tissue

Published on: October 6, 2023

Stereotaxic Infusion of Oligomeric Amyloid-beta into the Mouse Hippocampus

Stereotaxic Infusion of Oligomeric Amyloid-beta into the Mouse Hippocampus

Published on: June 17, 2015

Measurement of 3-beta-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) concentrations in femoral blood, urine, vitreous humor, pericardial fluid, and cerebrospinal fluid.

Inclusion of diverse case types: diabetic ketoacidosis, hypothermia, mild decomposition, and chronic alcoholism.

Main Results:

3-beta-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) concentrations showed similar increases in blood, vitreous humor, and pericardial fluid across various causes of death.
Urine 3HB levels were generally higher than blood 3HB concentrations.
Cerebrospinal fluid 3HB levels were typically lower than blood, but significantly elevated levels were indicative of metabolic disturbances.

Conclusions:

Pericardial fluid and vitreous humor are viable alternatives to femoral blood for postmortem 3-beta-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) quantification.
Urine is a useful, though often higher, source for 3HB measurement.
Cerebrospinal fluid 3HB can be diagnostic for metabolic disturbances when markedly elevated, despite generally lower concentrations.