Citation

Keul HG, Schäfer V, Lörcher U, Schneider M, Lutz FU, Reuhl J. Forensic Sci. Int. 1993; 62(1-2): 147-149.

Affiliation

Senckenbergisches Zentrum der Pathologie, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1993, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

8300027

Abstract

In an interdisciplinary study, 53 cases of drug-related death were investigated. Forty per cent of these cases exhibited acute or chronic hepatitis; foreign body granulomas were detected in 30%. By CT-scan of the left lung, small abscesses and pneumonic focuses could be localized. The spectrum of bacterial strains isolated from lung tissue did not differ significantly from that of a control group. Severe alterations of the testes, i.e. reduction of spermatogenesis, was present in a considerable number of cases. The high rate of myocarditis diagnosed (18%) supports the idea that besides acute intoxication, drug-related death is due to multifactorial origin.

Language: en