Abstract

Biochemical analysis of the vitreous humour in 80 infants brought to necropsy, including 18 in whom terminal plasma levels were known, indicates that sodium and urea levels closely reflect ante-mortem plasma values. With increasing time, post-mortem vitreous sodium and glucose concentrations diminish, whereas urea and magnesium rise. Vitreous magnesium levels are age related. Chemical analysis of vitreous humour is thus a valid adjunct to the post-mortem examination and may be important in the study of unexpected deaths in infancy.