ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 5

Postmortem Evaluation of Serum and Urine Neopterin Concentrations
Fuchs, D
Assistant professor, assistant professor, and professor, Institute for Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Innsbruck,

Ambach, E
University assistant, university assistant, and professor, Institute for Forensic Medicine, University of Innsbruck,

Reibnegger, G
Assistant professor, assistant professor, and professor, Institute for Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Innsbruck,

Wachter, H
Assistant professor, assistant professor, and professor, Institute for Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Innsbruck,

Henn, R
University assistant, university assistant, and professor, Institute for Forensic Medicine, University of Innsbruck,

Tributsch, W
University assistant, university assistant, and professor, Institute for Forensic Medicine, University of Innsbruck,

(Received 19 July 1990; accepted 12 September 1990)

Abstract

Cellular immune response is accompanied by the release of neopterin. Increased neopterin levels in urine and serum are observed in patients during viral infections, autoimmune diseases, and allograft rejections and certain malignant diseases. We investigated post-mortem neopterin concentrations in urine and serum samples taken from 32 corpses 3 to 69 h (mean 19.3 h) after death. Urine neopterin concentrations in corpses are similar to those of healthy live controls and are independent of the time after death. In contrast, serum neopterin concentrations are frequently greatly increased in corpses, and the levels are higher in sera collected more than 10 h after death in comparison with samples obtained earlier.

Neopterin measurement in urine and serum samples of corpses is feasible. It appears likely that urine neopterin concentrations could aid the diagnosis of inflammatory diseases in corpses.

Keywords:
pathology and biology, neopterin, cause of death, postmortem neopterin levels, time after death, cellular immune system activation

Paper ID: JFS13124J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS13124J
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