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Related Experiment Videos

Elevated postmortem tryptase in the absence of anaphylaxis

B Randall1, J Butts, J F Halsey

  • 1University of South Dakota School of Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Sioux Falls, USA.

Journal of Forensic Sciences
|March 1, 1995
PubMed
Summary

Elevated tryptase levels in postmortem blood are common, even without fatal anaphylaxis. This mast cell enzyme elevation should not be the sole criterion for diagnosing anaphylaxis after death.

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Area of Science:

  • Forensic Pathology
  • Immunology
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Tryptase, a mast cell enzyme, is a proposed postmortem indicator for fatal anaphylaxis.
  • Previous studies lacked sufficient controls, limiting the understanding of tryptase specificity in postmortem samples.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the specificity of postmortem tryptase levels.
  • To determine the frequency of elevated tryptase in cases without fatal anaphylaxis.

Main Methods:

  • Tryptase levels were measured in postmortem blood samples from 49 cases lacking evidence of fatal anaphylaxis.
  • Analysis included correlation with postmortem interval and specimen storage conditions.

Main Results:

  • Elevated tryptase (>1 ng/mL) was found in 31 of 49 cases (63%).

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  • Significant elevations (>10 ng/mL) were observed in five cases, with one case reaching 106 ng/mL.
  • No correlation was found between elevated tryptase, postmortem interval, or storage conditions.

    • Conclusions:

    • Elevated postmortem tryptase levels are frequent and not exclusive to fatal anaphylaxis.
    • Tryptase elevation is a supportive finding but should not be the sole diagnostic criterion for postmortem anaphylaxis.