Gout: a papal disease—a historical review of 25 gouty popes (34-2005 AD)

Santo, Natale G. De; Bisaccia, Carmela; Santo, Luca Salvatore De

doi:10.1007/s40620-021-01117-8

Cited by 3 publications

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“…Thus, the latter group will experience morbidity and mortality of the disease where rich, well-educated people can achieve prevention. The theory also explains why gout disappeared from the Vatican palaces but increased in the general population (De Santo et al, 2021a , b , 2022 ). We are certain that the use of salt in the papal kitchen is no longer what it once was in the past.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Of note is the principal cause of kidney disease as obstructive nephropathy due to gout or stones. It has been shown that many popes suffered of kidney stone disease of gouty and non gouty origin, the former was more frequent (De Santo et al, 2021a , b ), however the last gouty pope was Pius X who died in 1914. Thus in the last hundred year no pope was gouty indicating that gout is no longer a diseases of wealthy people.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nineteen of them were older than 80 years at death. Popes represent a special category of medical subjects whose health status has been closely monitored and chronicled because of their uniquely important position in the history of their times(De Santo et al, 2020 , 2021a , 2021b ). Papal dropsies, their etiology, and the prognostic value of edema were examined in the papal histories from Boniface VIII to John Paul II, a span of over seven centuries (1294–2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Dropsy of Popes (1555–1978): A Bad Prognostic Sign Foreboding of Death

Santo¹,

Bisaccia²,

Santo

2022

J Relig Health

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The purpose of this study is to explore the historical background of edema as a prognostic sign in popes, a special category of medical subjects whose health status was closely monitored and chronicled because of their unique important status in the events of their times. Nine out of 51 popes, who reigned in the years 1555–1978, died edematous at a mean age of 75.5 years of age. The cause of edema was: heart failure for John Paul I, liver disease, obstructive nephropathy associated with anemia for Paul IV, who also suffered from deep vein thrombosis, and malnutrition for Innocent XIII. Chronic kidney disease due to renal stones of gouty origin caused edema in Clement VIII, Clement X, Clement XI, and Benedict XIV. Obstructive nephropathy due to renal stones of non-gouty origin caused edema in Clement XIII, whereas toxic nephropathy due to the use of mercurials caused edema in Clement XIV. Innocent XI, Benedict XIV, and Clement XIV were bled before death because of impending pulmonary edema. It is not surprising that chronic kidney disease was a significant cause of edema in popes with chronic kidney disease which is associated with impaired sodium excretion. The edema was likely aggravated by the excessive dietary salt intake of the period when the importance of sodium chloride restriction was still not discovered and effective diuretic agents were not available.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%