Diagnostic Measurement of Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) for Analyzing Antemortal Period in Trauma Treatment in Forensic Medical Practice

The study of the endocrine function of the heart lasts more than half a century. The results of studies by foreign scientists showed the presence of intracellular granules in cardiomyocytes, which were similar to granules of endocrine cells. It was suggested that the atrial expansion, which due to the natriureuse enhancement, was associated with a natriuretic factor later called the Atrium Natriuretic Peptide (ANP). M. Cantin and J. Genest, in their article "Heart-Endocrine Gland" (1985) described in detail the structure and function of the ANP. The authors argue the hormonal factor of APN, which participates in water electrolyte homeostasis in regulating blood pressure. In 1988, Sudoh isolated from a pig's brain a natriuretic peptide similar to the ANP which was called the Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP). The purpose of the study was to provide a scientific basis for the duration of the antemortal period by quantitative determination of BNP in blood from corpses of people who died from trauma. Material and methods. We studied blood plasma from the heart cavity in the male corpses who died as a result of a traffic accident with a certain period of life experience of the body and the male corpses of persons who died as a result of falling from heights with an instantaneous lethal effect. The age range of the corpses was between 25 and 45 years. The total amount of investigated material was 32 dead males. Results and discussion. Scientific researches of the brains natriuretic peptide, which in recent years have become increasingly popular among cardiologists and biochemists, have established the existence of a group of natriuretic peptides, the molecule of which has a ring of 17 amino acids, but they are heterogeneous. At the same time the mechanism of their action on the body is associated with a significant effect on the endocrine, cardiovascular and urinary system. The results of the study showed that in the group of people killed as a result of an accident, the quantitative level of BNP was up to 557.0 ± 20.1 pg / ml, while in the group of people who died as a result of falling from heights, the level of BNP was up to 220.4 ± 14.5 pg / ml A comparative analysis of the results showed a statistically significant reduction of the BNP quantitative content in the people who died falling from heights when the death occurred immediately. There was also an increase in the BNP quantitative content in people who died in accidents. These results allow the use of quantitative BNP content in blood plasma when evaluating the duration anthropometric period at death from injury. Conclusions. The results of the research on determining the BNP quantitative content in blood plasma of people who died as a result of an accident and falling from the height showed that the quantitative level of BNP may vary not only in cardiac patients with heart failure as described in literary sources, but its level may also depend on the cause of the death of deceased persons of the young age and to be an indicator of the duration of their antemortal period.