[Research Advances in Postmortem Chemistry]

Postmortem chemistry is becoming more and more essential in routine forensic pathology and has made considerable progress over the past years. Biochemical analyses of vitreous humor, blood, urine and cerebrospinal fluid may provide important information in determining the cause of death or in elucidating forensic issues. Postmortem chemistry may be essential for the determination of cause of death when morphological methods (diabetes mellitus, alcoholic ketoacidosis and electrolytic disorders) cannot detect the pathophysiological changes involved in the death process. It can also provide many information in other forensic situations, including myocardial ischemia, sepsis, inflammation, infection, anaphylaxis and hormonal disturbances. The most recent relevant research advances on glucose metabolism, liver function, cardiac function, renal function, sepsis, inflammation, infection, anaphylaxis and hormonal aspect are hereby reviewed.