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A case of suicide by ingestion of caffeine

Bonsignore, Alessandro ; Sblano, Sara ; Pozzi, Fulvia ; Ventura, Francesco ; Dell'Erba, Alessandro ; Palmiere, Cristian

In: Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology, 2014, vol. 10, no. 3, p. 448-451

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    Title
    • A case of suicide by ingestion of caffeine
    Author
    • Bonsignore, Alessandro. DIM - Section of Legal Medicine, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
    • Sblano, Sara. DIM - Section of Legal Medicine, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
    • Pozzi, Fulvia. Department of Public Health, Neurosciences, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
    • Ventura, Francesco. Department of Legal Medicine, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
    • Dell'Erba, Alessandro. DIM - Section of Legal Medicine, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
    • Palmiere, Cristian. Centre Universitaire Romand de Médecine Légale, University Center of Legal Medicine, Rue du Bugnon 21, 1011, Lausanne, Switzerland
    Document Type
    • Postprint
    Language
    • English
    Published in
    • Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology, 2014, vol. 10, no. 3, p. 448-451. Springer US; http://www.springer-ny.com
    Other Version
    OAI-PMH Identifier
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:325303
    Summary
    Intentional or unintentional caffeine abuse due to excessive intake of beverages or energy drinks containing caffeine is relatively frequent. However, death due to caffeine intoxication is rare and case reports of fatalities from caffeine toxicity are relatively infrequent. In this report, we describe an autopsy case involving a 31year-old man who intentionally took a large amount of caffeine tablets in the form of a weight loss supplement as part of a suicide plan. Caffeine femoral blood concentration (170mg/l) was within the toxic and potentially lethal ranges reported in the literature in similar cases. Postmortem biochemistry results suggested depressed glomerular filtration rate and pre-renal failure at the time of death but failed to reveal myoglobinuria, glycosuria, ketonuria or ketonemia. Based on the absence of pathological findings at autopsy and the high blood caffeine level, death was attributed to acute caffeine toxicity. The case emphasizes the usefulness of performing exhaustive toxicology and searching for all potentially relevant information in order to formulate appropriate hypotheses concerning the cause and manner of death.