Citation

Nowak K, Zawadzki M, Szpot P, Jurek T. Prob. Forensic Sci. 2019; 117: 37-48.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Institute of Forensic Research Publishers)

DOI

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PMID

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Abstract

The aim of this work was to present the clinical symptoms and toxicological results in the case of intentional poisoning in a 33-year-old man, who took caffeine in powder form. The autopsy and histopathological analysis showed no significant changes. The results of toxicological tests were compared with available literature data on suicidal deaths due to caffeine overdose.

The biological materials were subjected to toxicological analysis for the presence of ethyl alcohol, using headspace gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (HS-GC-FID), as well as medicines and illicit drugs, using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS).

Toxicological tests have shown the presence of ethyl alcohol in the blood (1.47‰) and in urine (2.13‰). As a result of conducted analyses caffeine was also detected. The caffeine concentrations in blood was 384 µg/ml, while in urine 181 µg/ml.

Unrestricted access to drugs, dietary supplements and energy drinks containing caffeine may promote intentional or unintentional poisoning with this substance. Therefore, the concentrations of caffeine in biological materials should be routinely determined in toxicological laboratories.

Key words:

Caffeine; Suicide; Fatal poisoning; Case report.

Language: en