The 'gout' of the Medici, Grand Dukes of Florence: a palaeopathological study

Fornaciari, Gino; Giuffra, Valentina; Giusiani, Sara; Fornaciari, Antonio; Villari, Natale; Vitiello, Antonio

doi:10.1093/rheumatology/ken493

Cited by 45 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 7 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Paleopathological studies indicate a link between high social status and the risk of developing DISH. Examples include two members of the Medici family of Florence, Prince Luigi Carafa di Stigliano, the bishop of Alghero, Eliseo Giordano, as well as three cases from the aforementioned Savoca crypt (Fornaciari, 2006;Fornaciari and Lunardini, 2003;Fornaciari et al, 2009;Giuffra et al, 2010). The cases of DISH reported in this article seem to confirm the association between the onset of this condition and elite status, which would have implied privileged eating habits.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

Paleopathology in the Piraino mummies as illustrated by X-rays

Piombino‐Mascali

Zink

Panzer³

2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper presents the first radiological investigation of a collection of Sicilian mummies held in a crypt beneath the Mother Church of Piraino, Italy. The chamber contains 26 preserved bodies of religious dignitaries, either conserved vertically in special wall niches or horizontally on wooden shelves. The majority of bodies are clothed, and transportation outside of the crypt was not feasible. Therefore assessment of the remains via paleoradiological methods appeared to be the most convenient approach to investigate this precious ethno-anthropological heritage. Radiological examination of 23 of these mummies yielded information relating to their funerary treatment and some of the pathological alterations associated with the remains. These included osteoarthritis, diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, and neoplasms, as well as any trauma present. These analyses provided insights into mortuary behavior and the osteobiographies of these clerical figures.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

Paleopathology in the Piraino mummies as illustrated by X-rays

Piombino‐Mascali

Zink

Panzer³

2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…More recent studies have identiWed a familial syndrome consisting of cutaneous symptoms, peripheral arthropathy and spinal ankylosis in the primogenito branch of the family and found evidence of diVuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) in two sixteenth century members of the secondogenito branch [10][11][12]. The present study extends these Wndings by providing a further speciWcation of the ossiWcation diathesis in the familial syndrome of the primogenito branch of the Medici family to determine whether DISH was a component of this syndrome.…”

Section: Introduction and Historical Backgroundsupporting

confidence: 61%

“…Recently, the diagnosis of an ossiWcation diathesis, corresponding to DISH, was suggested for two sixteenth century members of the cadet branch of the Medici family [11,12]. Despite reservations that have been expressed about some aspects of this proposal, we accept the probable diagnosis of DISH in the cadet branch [20].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 85%

The ossification diathesis in the Medici family: DISH and other features

et al. 2011

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Medici family ruled Florence for most of the period from the 1430s to the 1730s, with the senior (primogenito) branch predominating until the line ended in the 1530s and the cadet (secondogenito) branch predominating thereafter. Recent studies have identified a familial syndrome consisting of cutaneous symptoms, peripheral arthropathy and spinal ankylosis in the primogenito branch of the family, and the presence of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) in two members of the secondogenito branch. These findings raise the question of whether DISH was also a component of the primogenito familial syndrome. The present study provides a further specification of the ossification diathesis in the familial syndrome of the primogenito branch of the Medici family. Recently discovered photographs of exhumed Medici skeletons from the primogenito line are examined, with a focus on spinal, sacro-iliac and peripheral ossifications. These observations are supplemented with published reports of radiological, histological and macroscopic studies of the skeletons. Our interpretations of the ossification data relating to the primogenito branch of the Medici family are supportive of a diagnosis of DISH. DISH was one component of the triple pathology identified as a syndrome in the fifteenth century primogenito Medici line. As a diagnosis of DISH has recently been proposed for two sixteenth century members of the secondogenito branch of the family, it appears that the same condition affected both branches of the Medici lineage, without excluding other forms of undifferentiated joint and spondylarthropathies.

show abstract

“…Several vertebral ligament insertions, as well as extraspinal ligaments, showed large ossifications. Ferdinand suffered from diffuse osteoarthritis (involving the spine as well as the great and small joints of the appendicular skeleton) and from chronic left foot gout, also diagnosed at palaeopathological study [7].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis in the Medici, Grand Dukes of Florence (XVI century)

et al. 2009

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a common systemic disorder characterised by the ossification of the anterior longitudinal spinal ligament involving at least three contiguous vertebrae and by diffuse extraspinal enthesopathies. The condition is associated with the male sex and with advanced age; its aetiology is uncertain, but seems to be related to obesity and diabetes. The most recent studies in archaeological series demonstrated a relation between high social status and the incidence of DISH. The present study examines two cases of DISH found amongst the members of the Medici family buried in the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Florence. The skeletons of the Grand Dukes Cosimo I (1519-1574) and his son Ferdinand I (1549-1609) showed the typical features of the condition. This result is related to the obesity of the Grand Dukes, attested by the written and artistic sources, and to the protein-based alimentation demonstrated by a paleonutritional study, thus furnishing further evidence to the significance of DISH as a life style.

show abstract

The 'gout' of the Medici, Grand Dukes of Florence: a palaeopathological study

Cited by 45 publications

References 7 publications

Paleopathology in the Piraino mummies as illustrated by X-rays

Paleopathology in the Piraino mummies as illustrated by X-rays

The ossification diathesis in the Medici family: DISH and other features

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis in the Medici, Grand Dukes of Florence (XVI century)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About