The dynamics of changes in biochemical markers of the state of tissue in intercostal muscles during the early postmortem period

Abstract

The aim of study was to evaluate structural and biochemical changes in the tissue of intercostal muscles during the early postmortem period (PMP) – 3-13 hours. Material and methods. Absolute and relative values of the concentration of glycogen, acid phosphatase, lactate, lactate degydrogenase, lipofuscin and cholinesterase during the early PMP were determined on 30 human corpses by results of study of the tissue of intercostal muscles. Results. It was proved that the early PMP was characterized by proper biochemical and biophysical changes of the muscular tissue, the most demonstrative of them were as follows: a reduction in the concentration of glycogen and dynamic increases in the concentrations of lactate dehydrogenase and lipofuscin. For all six biochemical markers, representative absolute and relative values of their popstmortem content in homogenates of intercostal muscles depending upon the prescription of death coming were obtained. It was found out that the concentration of glycogen during the analysed time intervals ranged from (7.821±0.0649) mg/g in 3 hours after death coning to (3.204±0.030) mg/g in 13 hours after the coming of death, reliably (p<0.001) differing every 2 hours of PMP. The dynamics in the concentration of lactate were found to be demonstrative and characterized by its progressive (p<0.01) increase within the period of 9 hours from the moment of death coming: from (6.847±0.042) mmol/g after 3 hours to (12.960±0.085) mmol/g after 9 hours. The level of lipofuscin concentration in the analysed time intervals progressively rose too: from (2.258±0.031) U/g in 3 hours to (5.589±0.030) U/g in 13 hours, reliably (p<0.001) differing every 2 hours of PMP. Conclusions.Paired correlative indices between biochemical and biophysical markers of the state of tissue of intercostal muscles were examined in their systemic relationships and proper system-creating coefficients were determined by six time intervals of the early PMP, in its turn making it possible to substantiate those of them that were criterially significant for increasing the accuracy of diagnosis of prescription of death coming.