ArticleMetabolomics : Official journal of the Metabolomic Society2024
Postmortem metabolomics: influence of time since death on the level of endogenous compounds in human femoral blood. Necessary to be considered in metabolome study planning?
Article in Metabolomics : Official journal of the Metabolomic Society, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
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7 citing papers in PubMed.
- Effects of Tropical Laterite Soils on Larval Development and the Metabolome of the Forensically Important Blow FlyInsects · 2026Article
- Leveraging the Metabolic Fingerprint of Sleep Deprivation and Sleep Restriction for Forensic Applications: A Machine Learning Study in Oral Fluid Metabolomics.Journal of proteome research · 2026Article
- Advanced molecular techniques in distinguishing monozygotic twins for forensic applications.Genes & genomics · 2026Review
- The human metabolome and machine learning improves predictions of the post-mortem interval.Nature communications · 2026Article
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- Estimation of postmortem interval under different ambient temperatures based on multi-organ metabolomics and machine learning algorithm.International journal of legal medicine · 2025Article
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8 authors.
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Abstract
introductionThe (un)targeted analysis of endogenous compounds has gained interest in the field of forensic postmortem investigations. The blood metabolome is influenced by many factors, and postmortem specimens are considered particularly challenging due to unpredictable decomposition processes.
objectivesThis study aimed to systematically investigate the influence of the time since death on endogenous compounds and its relevance in designing postmortem metabolome studies.
methodsFemoral blood samples of 427 authentic postmortem cases, were collected at two time points after death (854 samples in total; t1: admission to the institute, 1.3-290 h; t2: autopsy, 11-478 h; median ∆t = 71 h). All samples were analyzed using an untargeted metabolome approach, and peak areas were determined for 38 compounds (acylcarnitines, amino acids, phospholipids, and others). Differences between t2 and t1 were assessed by Wilcoxon signed-ranked test (p < 0.05). Moreover, all samples (n = 854) were binned into time groups (6 h, 12 h, or 24 h intervals) and compared by Kruskal-Wallis/Dunn's multiple comparison tests (p < 0.05 each) to investigate the effect of the estimated time since death.
resultsExcept for serine, threonine, and PC 34:1, all tested analytes revealed statistically significant changes between t1 and t2 (highest median increase 166%). Unpaired analysis of all 854 blood samples in-between groups indicated similar results. Significant differences were typically observed between blood samples collected within the first and later than 48 h after death, respectively.
conclusionsTo improve the consistency of comprehensive data evaluation in postmortem metabolome studies, it seems advisable to only include specimens collected within the first 2 days after death.
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