IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i4p2035-d747290.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Clue on the Skin: A Systematic Review on Immunohistochemical Analyses of the Ligature Mark

Author

Listed:
  • Gelsomina Mansueto

    (Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
    Clinical Department of Laboratory Services and Public Health-Legal Medicine Unit, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni 5, 80138 Naples, Italy
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Alessandro Feola

    (Legal Medicine Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni 5, 80138 Naples, Italy
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Pierluca Zangani

    (Legal Medicine Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni 5, 80138 Naples, Italy)

  • Antonietta Porzio

    (Legal Medicine Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni 5, 80138 Naples, Italy)

  • Anna Carfora

    (Legal Medicine Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni 5, 80138 Naples, Italy)

  • Carlo Pietro Campobasso

    (Legal Medicine Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni 5, 80138 Naples, Italy)

Abstract

Background: A ligature mark is a common injury in cases of hanging or strangulation. Estimation of age and vitality of the ligature mark can be crucial for differentiating antemortem and postmortem wounds and to distinguish between simulated suicidal hanging or accidental strangulation to conceal a crime and not simulated events. The immunohistochemistry has been recommended by several Authors as a reliable tool to determine whether an injury was sustained during life or not. Unfortunately, no general agreement on the immunohistochemical markers to be used has been found among the scientific community. The aim of the study was to detect the type and function of the immunohistochemical markers useful in the assessment of the vitality and age of the ligature marks for routine diagnostics. Methods: Papers available on Pubmed, Scopus, and Web of Science were reviewed according to the PRISMA statement. Results: Only eight papers satisfied all the following inclusion criteria: full texts in English dealing with human ligature marks and immunohistochemistry published on impacted or indexed scientific journals. Conclusions: The assessment of the vitality of a ligature mark is still a challenging topic in forensic science. Under ideal conditions and in compliance with autopsy protocols, the diagnosis of death by hanging or strangulation on fresh bodies can be better supported by autopsy findings other than a ligature mark. The validation of immunohistochemical markers on large series could be of help in doubtful cases and differential diagnoses.

Suggested Citation

  • Gelsomina Mansueto & Alessandro Feola & Pierluca Zangani & Antonietta Porzio & Anna Carfora & Carlo Pietro Campobasso, 2022. "A Clue on the Skin: A Systematic Review on Immunohistochemical Analyses of the Ligature Mark," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-10, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:4:p:2035-:d:747290
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/4/2035/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/4/2035/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Gelsomina Mansueto, 2022. "Ligature Mark: Crime or Suicide?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-4, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:4:p:2035-:d:747290. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.