Abstract: One of the most important things in Forensic medicine is doing autopsy on corpse which has a function to evaluate the internal organs of human body that cannot be assess by external examination. Both are done to estimate the time of death. This study was conducted to find the correlation of vitreous potassium levels and postmortem interval of corpse in Sanglah Central Hospital Denpasar and determine the linear regression of both variables. The study was carried out in two steps, 1) Collection of vitreous samples in Autopsy room of Forensic Department, Sanglah Central Hospital Denpasar, 2) Examination of Potassium levels in Clinical Pathology Laboratory, Sanglah Central Hospital Denpasar. The samples were taken out from lateral limbus of the right eye by using 3 ml syringe and 18G needle. Almost 0.5 – 2.5 ml of clear vitreous was aspirate. This sample then checked by ion selective electrode methods. Ten samples collected have done statistical analysis. The data was normally distributed. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was r=0.810. Determinant coefficient R2=0.656 and linear regression equation was y= 0,81x + 3,659 (y, potassium levels; x, postmortem interval). The equation to estimate postmortem interval by using vitreous potassium level was 1,23[K+] – 4,5. Thus, it is concluded that there is strong correlation between vitreous potassium levels and postmortem interval of corpse in Sanglah Central Hospital Denpasar. The increase of postmortem interval causes the increase of vitreous potassium levels.
Keywords: Potassium, Vitreous, Post-mortem.
Title: Correlation between Vitreous Potassium Levels and Postmortem Interval of Corpse in Sanglah Central Hospital Denpasar
Author: Anak Agung Gde Raka Prasetya Wibawa, Henky, Kunti Yulianti
International Journal of Healthcare Sciences
ISSN 2348-5728 (Online)
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