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Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology

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01-03-2013 | Commentary

Wischnewski spots and hypothermia: sensitive, specific, or serendipitous?

Authors: Fiona Bright, Calle Winskog, Roger W. Byard

Published in: Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology | Issue 1/2013

Excerpt

Hypothermia develops when regulatory mechanisms such as vasoconstriction and heat production fail to compensate for heat loss to the environment and the core temperature of the body falls below 35 °C. Severe cases may be fatal with death resulting from myocardial ischemia and/or hypoxia, exacerbated by electrolyte abnormalities and elevated catecholamine levels. The mortality rate exceeds 70 % when the core temperature drops to 30 °C, and reaches 90 % at 26 °C [1, 2]. …

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Title: Wischnewski spots and hypothermia: sensitive, specific, or serendipitous?
Authors: Fiona Bright
Calle Winskog
Roger W. Byard
Publication date: 01-03-2013
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology / Issue 1/2013
Print ISSN: 1547-769X
Electronic ISSN: 1556-2891
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-012-9342-1

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Wischnewski spots and hypothermia: sensitive, specific, or serendipitous?

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