%0 Journal Article
%T Ethanol levels in legally autopsied subjects (2016-2017): update of data and epidemiological implications in relation to violent deaths in Canary Islands (Spain)
%J Journal of forensic and legal medicine
%D 2019
%A Almeida-González, M.
%A Luzardo, O. P.
%A Boada, L. D.
%A Zaragoza, E.
%A Meilán, M. J.
%A Zumbado, M.
%A Henríquez-Hernández, L. A.
%V 68
%N 
%P e101868-e101868
%X The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of ethanol in individuals (277) subjected to a mandatory medico-legal autopsy in the Institute of Legal Medicine of Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain) during 2016-2017, comparing the results with data published in 2015. Blood and/or vitreous humor samples were analyzed by gas chromatography. 31.8% of the individuals were positive to ethanol. We observed a decrease in the prevalence of ethanol among males (p = 0.002). While the prevalence of ethanol was reduced, the concentration among those positive subjects has increased. 11.9% of the series died in a traffic accident and the percentage of positive to ethanol decreased in relation to 2015 (64.3, 25.0, and 35.3%). The number of suicides remains constant, although the age of the suiciders has been significantly reduced (p = 0.022). The results of this study indicate that ethanol is still heavily involved in non-natural deaths.<br><br>Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
%G en
%I Elsevier Publishing
%@ 1752-928X
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jflm.2019.101868