Role of pericardial fluid enzymes in estimating time since death

Alanine Transaminase (ALT), Alkaline Phosphatase (ASP) and Creatinine Kinase (CK) levels were studied in pericardial fluid samples obtained from 100 medicolegal autopsy cases performed between April 1999 to January 2000 in the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi. The level of ALT increased with increasing time since death, the rise being highly significant with p<0.001. ALP enzyme values increased with time since death in all the groups uniformly. Creatinine kinase values were in-significant with increasing time since death and no definite pattern could be noted ALT has some importance in predicting the time since death.