Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42709365›Full record

ArticleForensic toxicology2026

Utility of tissue as an alternative specimen to blood for measuring volatile hydrocarbon concentrations in fire-related-deaths.

Ryota Hiraiwa, Ako Sasao, Kosei Yonemitsu, Kyoko Hirata, Yuki Ohtsu, Hiroshi Tsutsumi, Satoko Kimura, Shota Furukawa, Yoko Nishitani, Rie Sano

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Forensic toxicology, 2026. 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

10 authors.

Ryota HiraiwaDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-Ku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan.
Ako SasaoDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-Ku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan. ako@kumamoto-u.ac.jp.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0221-0645
Kosei YonemitsuDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-Ku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan.
Kyoko HirataDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-Ku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan.
Yuki OhtsuDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-Ku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan.
Hiroshi TsutsumiDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-Ku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan.
Satoko KimuraDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-Ku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan.
Shota FurukawaDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
Yoko NishitaniDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
Rie SanoDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-Ku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeQuantitative analysis of volatile hydrocarbons (VHCs) in postmortem blood provides insight into the circumstances of fire-related deaths. Detection of specific VHCs can distinguish construction fires from those involving gasoline or kerosene. Although VHC concentrations have been examined in heart blood, their concentrations in other specimens remain unclear. We evaluated the correlations of carboxyhemoglobin and VHC concentrations among heart blood and femoral vein blood or various organ tissues to investigate the viability of alternative specimens for cases where heart blood cannot be collected.

methodsHeart blood, femoral vein blood, brain, liver, and muscle samples were collected from victims of fire-related death cases processed at our department. Seventeen VHCs were analyzed using headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

resultsIn construction fire cases, carboxyhemoglobin concentrations in heart blood were positively correlated with those in femoral vein blood. Benzene, toluene, and styrene are commonly detected in fire-related deaths, and the concentrations of these compounds in heart blood were positively correlated with the corresponding concentrations in femoral vein blood. The concentrations in heart blood were significantly higher than those in femoral vein blood. Tissue concentrations were also positively correlated with those in heart blood. Among the samples, brain tissue had the highest concentrations. In gasoline- and kerosene-related fire cases, the VHC concentration patterns in the brain were similar to those observed in heart blood.

conclusionsThese results suggest that brain tissue is an appropriate specimen for VHCs analysis and can be used when VHCs are undetectable in heart blood or heart blood is not available.

Indexed as

Fire-related deathGas chromatography–mass spectrometryGasolineKeroseneOrgan tissueVolatile hydrocarbon

Identifiers

PMID42709365

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.