Postmortem Serum Thyroglobulin Levels as a Marker to Diagnose Neck Compression

Asphyxia by neck compression occurs mainly in Hanging, Manual strangulation, Ligature strangulation. Even though the signs like Cyanosis, Petechial hemorrhages, Congestion, Fluidity of the blood are called as asphyxia stigmata; these signs are not specific to asphyxia alone. These can also occur in deaths due to other causes also. Sometimes ligature marks, nail mark abrasions, neck muscle contusions can help in suggesting the death is due to neck compression, these findings can be absent if the ligature material is soft and broad or any material intervening between skin and ligature material in hanging and ligature strangulation and usage of gloves by the assailant in manual strangulation. This study suggests that newer scientific markers and methods can be used in autopsies to help the forensic pathologist in such precarious situations to arrive at the cause of death. In this prospective study, Serum Thyroglobulin levels of 25 cases of death due to neck compression taken as study group are compared with serum of 25 cases of death due to other causes using Chemiluminescence Immuno assay. The results establish that levels of serum thyroglobulin increases in death due to neck compression (1061.6 ±398.7ng / ml) when compared with control group (21.8 ± 2.71 ng/ml). The level of increase is marked in manual strangulation (5103.2 ± 539.6 ng/ml) and ligature strangulation (4659.9 ± 2094 .2 ng/ml) than in hanging (257.4 ± 28.03 ng/ml). The false positive increase in serum thyroglobulin as in cases of carcinoma thyroid, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is ruled by Histopathological examination of the thyroid gland taken during autopsy