Lung-heart weight ratio as a possible index of cardiopulmonary pathophysiology in drowning

Bao Li Zhu; Li Quan; Kaori Ishida; Shigeki Oritani; Dong Ri Li; Mari Taniguchi; Yasunobu Kamikodai; Kohei Tsuda; Masaki Q. Fujita; Katsuji Nishi; Tsutomu Tsuji; Hitoshi Maeda

doi:10.1016/S1344-6223(02)00154-2

Lung-heart weight ratio as a possible index of cardiopulmonary pathophysiology in drowning

Bao Li Zhu, Li Quan, Kaori Ishida, Shigeki Oritani, Dong Ri Li, Mari Taniguchi, Yasunobu Kamikodai, Kohei Tsuda, Masaki Q. Fujita, Katsuji Nishi, Tsutomu Tsuji, Hitoshi Maeda

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

17 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the lung-heart weight ratio in fresh- and saltwater drowning (n = 67 and n = 75, respectively) as a possible index of cardiopulmonary pathophysiology, in comparison with acute myocardial infarction/ischemia (AMI, n = 75) and asphyxiation (n = 85). In drowning cases, the total value of the combined lung weight and the amount of pleural effusion was regarded as a possible total lung weight. The median value of the combined/total lung weight was the highest in saltwater drowning, which was followed by freshwater drowning, AMI and asphyxiation, showing a tendency to be midly increased depending on the heart weight. The lung-heart weight ratio was significantly higher in fresh-/saltwater drownings (3.944 ± 1.538 and 4.825 ± 2.242, respectively) than in asphyxiation (2.846 ± 1.042) and AMI (2.641 ± 0.916) (P < 0.0001), showing a tendency to be higher in saltwater than freshwater drowning. However, the value depended on the gender and age of the subjects, and the difference between freshwater drowning and asphyxiation was insignificant in females. These results suggested that the lung-heart weight ratio may be an index for investigating the influence of aspirated immersion medium in drownings.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	S295-S297
Journal	Legal Medicine
Volume	5
Issue number	SUPPL. 1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/S1344-6223(02)00154-2
Publication status	Published - 2003
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Drowning
Forensic pathology
Freshwater
Lung weight
Lung-heart weight ratio
Saltwater

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Pathology and Forensic Medicine
Issues, ethics and legal aspects

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10.1016/S1344-6223(02)00154-2

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@article{1b2e9c5e4d6d49afa1c58e397028db2b,

title = "Lung-heart weight ratio as a possible index of cardiopulmonary pathophysiology in drowning",

abstract = "The aim of the present study was to investigate the lung-heart weight ratio in fresh- and saltwater drowning (n = 67 and n = 75, respectively) as a possible index of cardiopulmonary pathophysiology, in comparison with acute myocardial infarction/ischemia (AMI, n = 75) and asphyxiation (n = 85). In drowning cases, the total value of the combined lung weight and the amount of pleural effusion was regarded as a possible total lung weight. The median value of the combined/total lung weight was the highest in saltwater drowning, which was followed by freshwater drowning, AMI and asphyxiation, showing a tendency to be midly increased depending on the heart weight. The lung-heart weight ratio was significantly higher in fresh-/saltwater drownings (3.944 ± 1.538 and 4.825 ± 2.242, respectively) than in asphyxiation (2.846 ± 1.042) and AMI (2.641 ± 0.916) (P < 0.0001), showing a tendency to be higher in saltwater than freshwater drowning. However, the value depended on the gender and age of the subjects, and the difference between freshwater drowning and asphyxiation was insignificant in females. These results suggested that the lung-heart weight ratio may be an index for investigating the influence of aspirated immersion medium in drownings.",

keywords = "Drowning, Forensic pathology, Freshwater, Lung weight, Lung-heart weight ratio, Saltwater",

author = "Zhu, {Bao Li} and Li Quan and Kaori Ishida and Shigeki Oritani and Li, {Dong Ri} and Mari Taniguchi and Yasunobu Kamikodai and Kohei Tsuda and Fujita, {Masaki Q.} and Katsuji Nishi and Tsutomu Tsuji and Hitoshi Maeda",

note = "Funding Information: This study was in part supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan (Grant Nos. 11670425 and 12470109). The authors are deeply grateful to the other staff at the institutes for their partial contribution.",

year = "2003",

doi = "10.1016/S1344-6223(02)00154-2",

language = "English",

volume = "5",

pages = "S295--S297",

journal = "Legal Medicine",

issn = "1344-6223",

publisher = "Elsevier",

number = "SUPPL. 1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Lung-heart weight ratio as a possible index of cardiopulmonary pathophysiology in drowning

AU - Zhu, Bao Li

AU - Quan, Li

AU - Ishida, Kaori

AU - Oritani, Shigeki

AU - Li, Dong Ri

AU - Taniguchi, Mari

AU - Kamikodai, Yasunobu

AU - Tsuda, Kohei

AU - Fujita, Masaki Q.

AU - Nishi, Katsuji

AU - Tsuji, Tsutomu

AU - Maeda, Hitoshi

N1 - Funding Information: This study was in part supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan (Grant Nos. 11670425 and 12470109). The authors are deeply grateful to the other staff at the institutes for their partial contribution.

PY - 2003

Y1 - 2003

N2 - The aim of the present study was to investigate the lung-heart weight ratio in fresh- and saltwater drowning (n = 67 and n = 75, respectively) as a possible index of cardiopulmonary pathophysiology, in comparison with acute myocardial infarction/ischemia (AMI, n = 75) and asphyxiation (n = 85). In drowning cases, the total value of the combined lung weight and the amount of pleural effusion was regarded as a possible total lung weight. The median value of the combined/total lung weight was the highest in saltwater drowning, which was followed by freshwater drowning, AMI and asphyxiation, showing a tendency to be midly increased depending on the heart weight. The lung-heart weight ratio was significantly higher in fresh-/saltwater drownings (3.944 ± 1.538 and 4.825 ± 2.242, respectively) than in asphyxiation (2.846 ± 1.042) and AMI (2.641 ± 0.916) (P < 0.0001), showing a tendency to be higher in saltwater than freshwater drowning. However, the value depended on the gender and age of the subjects, and the difference between freshwater drowning and asphyxiation was insignificant in females. These results suggested that the lung-heart weight ratio may be an index for investigating the influence of aspirated immersion medium in drownings.

AB - The aim of the present study was to investigate the lung-heart weight ratio in fresh- and saltwater drowning (n = 67 and n = 75, respectively) as a possible index of cardiopulmonary pathophysiology, in comparison with acute myocardial infarction/ischemia (AMI, n = 75) and asphyxiation (n = 85). In drowning cases, the total value of the combined lung weight and the amount of pleural effusion was regarded as a possible total lung weight. The median value of the combined/total lung weight was the highest in saltwater drowning, which was followed by freshwater drowning, AMI and asphyxiation, showing a tendency to be midly increased depending on the heart weight. The lung-heart weight ratio was significantly higher in fresh-/saltwater drownings (3.944 ± 1.538 and 4.825 ± 2.242, respectively) than in asphyxiation (2.846 ± 1.042) and AMI (2.641 ± 0.916) (P < 0.0001), showing a tendency to be higher in saltwater than freshwater drowning. However, the value depended on the gender and age of the subjects, and the difference between freshwater drowning and asphyxiation was insignificant in females. These results suggested that the lung-heart weight ratio may be an index for investigating the influence of aspirated immersion medium in drownings.

KW - Drowning

KW - Forensic pathology

KW - Freshwater

KW - Lung weight

KW - Lung-heart weight ratio

KW - Saltwater

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U2 - 10.1016/S1344-6223(02)00154-2

DO - 10.1016/S1344-6223(02)00154-2

M3 - Article

C2 - 12935615

AN - SCOPUS:0038415932

SN - 1344-6223

VL - 5

SP - S295-S297

JO - Legal Medicine

JF - Legal Medicine

IS - SUPPL. 1

ER -

Lung-heart weight ratio as a possible index of cardiopulmonary pathophysiology in drowning

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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