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Published in: International Journal of Legal Medicine 5/2017

01-09-2017 | Case Report

Paradoxical undressing associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage in a non-hypothermia case?

Authors: Emilienne Descloux, Kewin Ducrot, Maria Pia Scarpelli, Alexander Lobrinus, Cristian Palmiere

Published in: International Journal of Legal Medicine | Issue 5/2017

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Abstract

Paradoxical undressing is a phenomenon characterizing some fatal hypothermia cases. The victims, despite low environmental temperatures, paradoxically remove their clothes due to a sudden feeling of warmth. In this report, we describe a case of suspected paradoxical undressing in a non-hypothermia case. The victim, a 51-year-old Caucasian man, was found dead wearing only sneakers and socks. All other clothing was found in his car. Postmortem investigations allowed the hypothesis of hypothermia to be ruled out and revealed the presence of a ruptured cerebral aneurysm that caused a subarachnoid hemorrhage, the latter responsible for the death. The absence of any elements suggesting a voluntary undressing or any third party’s DNA profile or involvement along with the possibility that the subarachnoid hemorrhage might have determined a hypothalamic injury, somehow rendered conceivable the hypothesis of an inappropriate feeling of warmth due to hemorrhage-induced dysregulation of the hypothalamic temperature-regulating centers.
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Metadata
Title
Paradoxical undressing associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage in a non-hypothermia case?
Authors
Emilienne Descloux
Kewin Ducrot
Maria Pia Scarpelli
Alexander Lobrinus
Cristian Palmiere
Publication date
01-09-2017
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
International Journal of Legal Medicine / Issue 5/2017
Print ISSN: 0937-9827
Electronic ISSN: 1437-1596
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-017-1597-3

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