Systematic forensic identification of a homicide by brodifacoum poisoning: A case report.

Brodifacoum, a long-acting anticoagulant rodenticide, exerts inhibitory effects on blood coagulation factor synthesis, leading to abnormal clotting function and potential fatality. Poisoning of accidental exposure to brodifacoum is not rare, but death from brodifacoum poisoning can be largely avoided with timely and long-term effective treatments, consequently, forensic data on fatalities due to brodifacoum poisoning may be limited. This paper presents a case of brodifacoum-induced homicide, detailing the medial records and pathological changes observed in multiple organs. Furthermore, t liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was employed to measure the concentrations of brodifacoum in blood, hydropericardium, and urine 40 days post-poisoning (1 day post-mortem), yielding values of 0.097 μg/mL, 0.089 μg/mL, and 0.007 μg/mL respectively. The aim of this article is to contribute towards forensic identification of fatalities resulting from brodifacoum poisoning while also serving as a reference for clinical diagnosis in similar cases. • A rare case of brodifacoum poisoning was reported, with the medical records and pathological changes of the deceased presented in detail. • Rare cerebral hemorrhage, hemorrhage within coronary plaque, and toxic liver and kidney diseases had also been reported in this case. • A LC-MS/MS method for detecting brodifacoum was proposed, and the concentrations of brodifacoum in the patient's blood, pericardial effusion and urine 40 days after poisoning (1 day after death) were quantified as 0.097 μg/mL, 0.089 μg/mL, and 0.007 μg/mL, respectively, which could provide references for the inference of lethal dose of brodifacoum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]