Sudden unexpected deaths in different age groups at Ramathibodi Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand: a retrospective autopsy study during 2003-2007.

A sudden unexpected death is considered one type of medico-legal death in Thailand. In some studies, it comprises up to 50-60% of all medico-legal deaths. In this retrospective study, data were collected from 1,460 cases of sudden unexpected deaths, 39.9% of all deaths in which a medico-legal autopsy had been carried out. The study was conducted over a 5-year period from January 2003 to December 2007. There were 1,009 males and 451 females (M:F ratio = 2.2:1). The mean age was 55.3+/-0.98 years. The peak age group was the 46-60 years accounting for 28.2% of cases. The most common cause of death in all age groups was coronary atherosclerosis. Understanding epidemiological autopsy data is vital for determining the characteristics of the population involved.

Comparable between rapid one step immunochromatographic assay and ELISA in the detection of prostate specific antigen in vaginal specimens of raped women.

BACKGROUND: Rape is a crime found in Thailand nowadays. The crime is often lacking of eyewitnesses. Therefore, examination for forensic biological evidence becomes quite important, especially investigating sperm and semen in vaginal specimens of the victim. Acid phosphatase test for semen is commonly used in Thailand but is just a presumptive test. Recently, confirmatory kit tests became available in Thailand for detecting the prostate specific antigen (PSA) from semen. This test is simpler and cheaper than ELISA. OBJECTIVE: To compare the rapid one-step immunochromatographic assay with ELISA for the detection of prostate specific antigen in vaginal specimens of raped women. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A diagnostic test was conducted on the vaginal specimens of raped women that were sent to the laboratory of the Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University during April-August 2006. One hundred vaginal specimens were examined for prostate specific antigen by rapid one step immunochromatographic assay and compared with ELISA. RESULTS: There were 85% and 83% of sensitivity, 85% and 85% of specificity, 85% and 85% of accuracy, 89% and 89% of positive predictive value, and 79% and 77% of negative predictive value from rapid one-step test kit and ELISA respectively CONCLUSION: The result showed that there was no difference on specificity, accuracy and positive predictive value between the two methods but sensitivity and negative predictive value of rapid one-step test kit was better than ELISA. The research team recommends that rapid one-step test kit for prostate specific antigen should be routine service in vaginal specimens of raped women.

Normal internal organ weight of Thai adults correlated to body length and body weight.

OBJECTIVE: Examine the relationship between the internal organ weight with body weight and body length. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Analysis of data from 250 autopsies from the Ramathibodi Hospital from August 2003 to February 2005. The cases were from sudden unnatural death including accident, homicide and suicide and excluded decomposed bodies, fire related deaths and cases where medical treatment had been given. The age ranged from 15 to 88 years and there were 51 females and 199 males. Parson's correlation coefficient was used to examine the relationship between the internal organ weight with body weight and body length. RESULTS: The mean+/-standard deviation (SD) were represented by males and females respectively; Brain 1339+/-160/1165+/-184 gm, heart 311+/-66/278+/-160 gm, lung 910+/-347/675+/-255 gm, liver 1439+/-365/ 1214+/-275 gm, spleen 103+/-46/92.9+/-48 gm, kidney 260+/-68/230+/-42 gm. CONCLUSION: The relationship between internal organ weight and body weight showed each internal organ significantly correlated with body weight in males at p-value < 0.05, whereas in females it only correlated to liver, kidney and spleen at p-value < 0.05. For the correlation between internal organ weight and body length, it showed only brain, lung, liver and kidney correlated to the body length in males at p-value < 0. 05, but not in females.

Pseudoprecocious puberty due to “juvenile granulose cell tumor”: A case report.

The granulose cell tumor of the ovary is an uncommon cause of precocious puberty and only about 5% of these tumors occur in premenarchal girls. However 90% of them have the distinctive features of “Juvenile granulose cell tumor”. We report a case of a 2 ½ year old girl with pseudoprecocious puberty due to juvenile granulose cell tumor. Clinical features in this girl included bilateral breast enlargement, vaginal bleed-ing and a 7-cm-diameter mass in the lower abdomen. Investigations revealed advanced bone age, elevated level of serum estradiol with low levels of serum FSH and LH. A mixed solid and cystic mass at the right side of the ovaries was identified by an ultrasound examination. Right salpingo-oophorectomy was performed and histo-logical examination showed typical Juvenile granulose cell tumor.