Forensic Diagnosis: From New Method Development to Data Interpretation

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 2290

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Medical, Surgical and Advanced Technologies “G.F. Ingrassia”, University of Catania, 95121 Catania, Italy
Interests: forensic toxicology; method validation; post mortem redistribution; drug-related death
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forensic toxicology is an ever-evolving multidisciplinary science. Toxicology investigations are often at the center of medical–legal issues. They begin with the development and validation of analytical methods with the aim to obtain data on possible psychotropic substance intake. The ever-increasing number of drugs and other psychoactive substances available on the market makes the harmonization of precise and accurate analytical methods increasingly important.

This is only the first step that leads the toxicologist, together with the medical examiner and the forensic pathologist, to the forensic diagnosis. The interpretation of the chemical–toxicological data, together with the autopsy, histopathological and circumstantial data, is fundamental in order to determine the relationship between the exposure to one or more substances and the death or the acute or chronic psychophysical impairment.

This Special Issue aims to gather a collection of cutting-edge research that may help to improve the quality of forensic diagnosis. We welcome submissions on, but not limited to, the following topics: the development of new analytical methods, the interpretation of drug-related death cases and epidemiology related to early drug use or abuse and to car crashes under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Dr. Pietro Zuccarello
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • drug-related death
  • car crashes
  • psychophysical drug impairment
  • method validation
  • forensic toxicology
  • legal medicine
  • forensic diagnosis
  • poisoning
  • drug regulation

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

17 pages, 972 KiB  
Review
A Comprehensive Review on Alcohol Abuse Disorder Fatality, from Alcohol Binges to Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy
by Antonina Argo, Walter Pitingaro, Maria Puntarello, Roberto Buscemi, Ginevra Malta, Tommaso D’Anna, Giuseppe Davide Albano and Stefania Zerbo
Diagnostics 2024, 14(11), 1189; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics14111189 - 5 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1754
Abstract
Frequent and excessive consumption of alcohol, be it episodic or sustained misuse, ranks among the top causes of mortality globally. This comprehensive analysis seeks to elucidate how alcohol misuse precipitates death, with a particular focus on associated cardiac anomalies. Notably, the phenomenon of [...] Read more.
Frequent and excessive consumption of alcohol, be it episodic or sustained misuse, ranks among the top causes of mortality globally. This comprehensive analysis seeks to elucidate how alcohol misuse precipitates death, with a particular focus on associated cardiac anomalies. Notably, the phenomenon of “Holiday Heart Syndrome”, linked to binge drinking, is recognized for inducing potentially fatal cardiac arrhythmias. Moreover, persistent alcohol consumption is implicated in the development of alcoholic cardiomyopathy, a condition that underlies heart failure and arrhythmic disturbances of the heart. Additionally, individuals undergoing withdrawal from alcohol frequently exhibit disruptions in normal heart rhythm, posing a risk of death. This review further delves into additional alcohol-related mortality factors, including the heightened likelihood of hypertension, cerebrovascular accidents (strokes), and the connection between excessive alcohol use and Takotsubo syndrome. Full article
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