β-Amyloid Precursor Protein and Ubiquitin Immunohistochemistry Aid in the Evaluation of Infant Autopsy Eyes with Abusive Head Trauma

Abstract

Purpose To investigate β-amyloid precursor protein (β-APP), ubiquitin, and glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) immunostaining as a diagnostic tool to aid in the discrimination between abusive head trauma and nonabusive head trauma in postmortem ocular histopathologic investigation. Design Retrospective cross-sectional study. Methods Seventy-four eyes of 37 infants were studied for hemorrhage and immunohistochemical expression of β-APP, ubiquitin, and GFAP in the retina and optic nerve. Infants were assigned to abusive head trauma or control groups, according to published criteria. Results In the abusive head trauma group, positive β-APP and ubiquitin immunostaining of the retina was significantly more likely to be found than in the control group, odds ratio (OR) 11.4, confidence interval (CI) 2.9-44.3; P