Nihon hōigaku zasshi = The Japanese journal of legal medicine
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Nihon Hoigaku Zasshi · Feb 1994
Comparative Study[The role of haptoglobin in asphyxia mechanism (II)--Acute drowning and hanging].
We examined changes in plasma during drowning and hanging to determine the mechanism of acute asphyxia. Rabbits were used for the acute drowning and hanging experiments (using artificial sea water or fresh water for the former and complete or incomplete hanging for the latter). The plasma was examined for changes in haptoglobin and total protein contents. ⋯ The changes in the haptoglobin level caused by hanging were similar to those that occur in acute asphxia when the air passage is completely obstructed and in subacute asphxia when the air passage is strangulated. Totally different and unique patterns were seen in association with drowning in comparison with obstructive asphyxia. These results suggested that the pathological physiology of acute drowning is different from that of fatal neck compression or other types of acute asphyxia.