Determination of time of death by blinded post-mortem interrogation of cardiac implantable electrical devices

Postmortal interrogation of cardiac implantable electrical devices (CIED) may contribute to the determination of time of death in forensic medicine. Recent studies aimed to improve estimation of time of death by combining findings from autopsy, CIED interrogation and patients´ medical history. CIED...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports 2022-05, Vol.12 (1), p.8199-8199, Article 8199
Main Authors: Lackermair, Korbinian, Fischer, Florian, Manhart, Johannes, Scheurer, Eva, Graw, Matthias, Boy, Diana, Lenz, Claudia, Hartrampf, Bonnie, Kellnar, Antonia, Sams, Lauren, Estner, Heidi, Fichtner, Stephanie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
692/4019/2773
692/700/139/422
Accuracy
Autopsies
Autopsy
Death
Forensic medicine
Forensic science
Heart
Humanities and Social Sciences
Mortality
multidisciplinary
Police
Questioning
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
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Summary:Postmortal interrogation of cardiac implantable electrical devices (CIED) may contribute to the determination of time of death in forensic medicine. Recent studies aimed to improve estimation of time of death by combining findings from autopsy, CIED interrogation and patients´ medical history. CIED from deceased undergoing forensic autopsy were included, if time of death remained unclear after forensic assessment. CIED explanted from deceased with known time of death were analysed as a control cohort. CIED were sent to our device interrogation lab and underwent analysis blinded for autopsy findings, medical history and police reports. The accuracy of time of death determination and the accuracy of time of death in the control cohort served as primary outcome. A total of 87 CIED were analysed. The determination of time of death was possible in 54 CIED (62%, CI 52–72%). The accuracy of the estimated time of death was 92.3% in the control cohort. Certain CIED type and manufacturers were associated with more successful determination. Blinded postmortal analysis enables a valid determination of the time of death in the majority of CIED. Analysis of explanted CIED in a cardiological core lab is feasible and should be implemented in forensic medicine.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/s41598-022-12390-3