Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38716018›Full record

ArticleCureus2024

A Case Report and Literature Review of Death by Potassium Chloride: Is it a Forensic Medicine Enigma?

Lucia Tarda, Matteo Antonio Sacco, Saverio Gualtieri, Wandamaria Mazzuca, Isabella Aquila

Abstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in Cureus, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Lucia TardaInstitute of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, ITA.
Matteo Antonio SaccoInstitute of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, ITA.
Saverio GualtieriInstitute of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, ITA.
Wandamaria MazzucaInstitute of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, ITA.
Isabella AquilaInstitute of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, ITA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The diagnosis of death from potassium chloride (KCl) injection is complex because it is a natural ion, so it is very difficult to trace the exogenous administration of drugs containing potassium. In these cases, it is important to perform a careful cadaver inspection, with the collection of circumstantial data on the scene, and proper autopsy investigations, in order to avoid errors regarding the reconstruction of the cause of death. The aim of this paper is to propose a forensic protocol, including evidence collected from the literature, that could help the medical examiner to perform the correct diagnosis, and also encourage control measures to avoid similar events, especially in nosocomial environments. This is important, especially for health professionals who can easily access drugs containing potassium. For this reason, we need to strengthen control measures of these drugs by proposing a double check in cases of pharmacological use, specifying the volume taken with a double authorization signature and the reasons for the withdrawal.

Indexed as

autopsydeathforensic sciencespotassiumpotassium chloride poisoningsuicide

Identifiers

PMID38716018
PMCPMC11076052

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.