Death in bathtub revisited with molecular genetics: a victim with suicidal traits and a LQTS gene mutation

P Lunetta; A Levo; A Männikkö; A Penttilä; A Sajantila

doi:10.1016/s0379-0738(02)00379-1

Death in bathtub revisited with molecular genetics: a victim with suicidal traits and a LQTS gene mutation

Forensic Sci Int. 2002 Dec 4;130(2-3):122-4. doi: 10.1016/s0379-0738(02)00379-1.

Authors

P Lunetta¹, A Levo, A Männikkö, A Penttilä, A Sajantila

Affiliation

¹ Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Helsinki, PO Box 40, Helsinki 00014, Finland.

PMID: 12477631
DOI: 10.1016/s0379-0738(02)00379-1

Abstract

A 44-year-old woman with a medical history of mental disorders and previous suicidal behaviour was found in a bathtub and pronounced death few minutes later despite of resuscitation attempts. After police investigation and on the basis of autopsy findings, the death was classified as suicide drowning. Retrospective examination of clinical data revealed, a prolonged rate-corrected QT-interval (QTc: 468 ms) 3 months before death. Post-mortem (PM) DNA analysis disclosed KCNH2(FIN) mutation for the long-QT syndrome (LQTS). The value of PM molecular screening for LQTS is emphasised, especially for victims of putative drowning.

MeSH terms

Adult
Drowning*
Female
Forensic Medicine / methods
Genotype
Humans
Long QT Syndrome / genetics*
Mutation*
Retrospective Studies