Analytical data supporting the “theoretical” postmortem redistribution factor (F_t): a new model to evaluate postmortem redistribution

ABSTRACT

The concepts of postmortem redistribution (PMR, F) factor, and “theoretical” PMR (F_t) – based upon a drug's characteristic L/P ratio – have been defined to express the direct relationship between postmortem peripheral blood and the corresponding antemortem whole-blood concentration. This paper applies recent data describing liver/peripheral blood (L/P) ratios for many commonly detected drugs to assess these models, and provide a ranking of drugs’ propensity for (and degree of) PMR.

KEYWORDS:

• Forensic science
• forensic pathology
• peripheral blood
• liver
• antemortem
• theoretical postmortem redistribution factor (F_t)

Compliance with Ethical Standards

The author declares no funding for this research, and no conflict of interest. For this type of study formal consent is not required. This article does not contain any studies with animals.

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank the San Diego County Chief Medical Examiner, Dr Glenn Wagner, for making available case details described in this manuscript and Christina Meyer Escott for collating much of the drug data, and Heather R. McIntyre for statistical assistance.