JIST

Abstract

Aims and objectives: To evaluate the reliability of forensic toxicological analysis reports in postmortem cases of admitted insecticide poisoning by correlating laboratory findings with clinical history, hospital records, police inquest, and autopsy observations.

Materials and methods: A retrospective postmortem -based study was conducted over two years (January 2023–December 2024) on medico-legal autopsies with a clinical diagnosis or history of insecticide ingestion and availability of Forensic Science Laboratory toxicological reports. Demographic variables, clinical parameters, duration of hospitalization, serum cholinesterase levels, autopsy findings, and toxicological results were analyzed. Categorical variables were compared using Chisquare or Fisher's exact test, continuous variables using the Kruskal–Wallis test, and binary logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with toxicological positivity.

Results: A total of 57 eligible cases were included. Toxicological analysis was negative in 44 (77.2%) cases, positive for insecticides in 8 (14.0%), and positive for other toxic compounds in 5 (8.8%). Increasing age and shorter dispatch-to-FSL interval were significantly associated with toxicological positivity. Prolonged hospitalization was associated with reduced toxicological detectability, while solid viscera demonstrated higher positivity than blood specimens.

Conclusion: Toxicological analysis alone is insufficient to establish the cause of death in admitted insecticide poisoning cases. Medico-legal opinion should be based on integrated interpretation of clinical history, circumstantial evidence, autopsy findings, and toxicological analysis