Abstract: Objective To explore the objective evidence of the corpus biochemical changes in rabbits for postmortem diagnosis of potassium intoxication.Methods Rabbits were sacrificed by Infusion of 0.3% KCl at full speed push or 1% KCl at 100 drip/min,respectively,with normal rabbits used as control.Cardiac blood and urine samples were collected before and after potassium infusion to examine the concentrations of various electrolytes(K+,Na+,Ca2+,Mg2+,Cl-,and HCO3-) and to observe the antemortem and postmortem biochemical changes.Results The mean lethal infusion time in the 0.3%KCl group was longer than that in the 1% KCl group(P=0.006).The serum concentration of K+ increased while the serum concentrations of Na+,Ca2+,Cl-,and HCO3-decreased after the infusion.There were no statistically significant differences in the whole blood concentration of K+ as well as the serum concentration of Mg2+ between the two groups(P=0.062).There were statistically significant differences in the concentrations of whole blood K+,as well as serum Na+,Mg2+,and Cl-,but not in the serum K+,Ca2+,and HCO3-.There were no statistically significant differences seen in the urine volumes and the concentrations of all the urine electrolytes between the groups.Conclusion Examination of the concentrations of K+ both in the whole blood and serum,as well as Mg2+ in the serum may be helpful for postmortem diagnosis of potassium intoxication.

Key words: potassium intoxication, postmortem diagnosis, postmortem chemistry