Post-mortem organ weights at a South African mortuary
| dc.contributor.advisor | Kirk, Gavin | |
| dc.contributor.author | Peddle, Laura | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2020-01-28T07:54:12Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2020-01-28T07:54:12Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2019 | |
| dc.date.updated | 2020-01-24T08:47:05Z | |
| dc.description.abstract | Background Weighing of organs is a necessary part of every autopsy and provides objective evidence of pathology, especially in forensic cases where histology is not always taken. Reference ranges must be locally applicable, accurate, and regularly defined. Aims The primary aim was generation of post-mortem organ weight reference ranges for use in South African mortuaries. Secondary aims were analysing factors influencing organ weights, and comparison of data to those from international populations. Methods A retrospective study was conducted using autopsy reports from the Salt River medico-legal mortuary in Cape Town, South Africa between 2013 and 2016. Disproportionate randomized stratified sampling was used to obtain sufficient cases from males and females; White, Coloured, and African racial groups; and decedents both older and younger than 50 years. Observations from 1262 decedents >18 years old dying traumatic on-scene deaths were recorded, excluding organs with macroscopic evidence of disease or destructive injury. The organs considered were the brain, heart, both lungs, liver, spleen, and both kidneys, and the variables collected were sex, race, age, height and body weight. This study was approved by the University of Cape Town Human Research Ethics Committee. Results Sampled decedents are described and excluded organs accounted for. Descriptive statistics are presented for each of the stratified subsamples. After assumption testing, multiple linear regression models are built, including interaction terms. Factors influencing organ weights are discussed and results compared to selected studies. Ideal organ weight reference ranges are proposed, based on 95% inclusion data from decedents aged 18-35 years with normal body mass indices. A smartphone application is offered, which calculates prediction intervals for individual decedents based on the multiple linear regression models. Conclusion This is the first study on post-mortem organ weights in South Africa, and despite limitations it provides useful locally derived population estimates. | |
| dc.identifier.apacitation | Peddle, L. (2019). <i>Post-mortem organ weights at a South African mortuary</i>. (). ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Division of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/30816 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.chicagocitation | Peddle, Laura. <i>"Post-mortem organ weights at a South African mortuary."</i> ., ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Division of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/30816 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.citation | Peddle, L. 2019. Post-mortem organ weights at a South African mortuary. | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.ris | TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Peddle, Laura AB - Background Weighing of organs is a necessary part of every autopsy and provides objective evidence of pathology, especially in forensic cases where histology is not always taken. Reference ranges must be locally applicable, accurate, and regularly defined. Aims The primary aim was generation of post-mortem organ weight reference ranges for use in South African mortuaries. Secondary aims were analysing factors influencing organ weights, and comparison of data to those from international populations. Methods A retrospective study was conducted using autopsy reports from the Salt River medico-legal mortuary in Cape Town, South Africa between 2013 and 2016. Disproportionate randomized stratified sampling was used to obtain sufficient cases from males and females; White, Coloured, and African racial groups; and decedents both older and younger than 50 years. Observations from 1262 decedents >18 years old dying traumatic on-scene deaths were recorded, excluding organs with macroscopic evidence of disease or destructive injury. The organs considered were the brain, heart, both lungs, liver, spleen, and both kidneys, and the variables collected were sex, race, age, height and body weight. This study was approved by the University of Cape Town Human Research Ethics Committee. Results Sampled decedents are described and excluded organs accounted for. Descriptive statistics are presented for each of the stratified subsamples. After assumption testing, multiple linear regression models are built, including interaction terms. Factors influencing organ weights are discussed and results compared to selected studies. Ideal organ weight reference ranges are proposed, based on 95% inclusion data from decedents aged 18-35 years with normal body mass indices. A smartphone application is offered, which calculates prediction intervals for individual decedents based on the multiple linear regression models. Conclusion This is the first study on post-mortem organ weights in South Africa, and despite limitations it provides useful locally derived population estimates. DA - 2019 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - Forensic Pathology LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PY - 2019 T1 - Post-mortem organ weights at a South African mortuary TI - Post-mortem organ weights at a South African mortuary UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/30816 ER - | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/30816 | |
| dc.identifier.vancouvercitation | Peddle L. Post-mortem organ weights at a South African mortuary. []. ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Division of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 2019 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/30816 | en_ZA |
| dc.language.rfc3066 | eng | |
| dc.publisher.department | Division of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology | |
| dc.publisher.faculty | Faculty of Health Sciences | |
| dc.subject | Forensic Pathology | |
| dc.title | Post-mortem organ weights at a South African mortuary | |
| dc.type | Master Thesis | |
| dc.type.qualificationlevel | Masters | |
| dc.type.qualificationname | MMed |