J.F. Kennedy Addison's Disease

Abstract

The Addison's disease was diagnosed to the 35th president of the United States J.F. Kennedy since the early ‘40s, but it was kept secret for diplomatic and political reasons. The president's Addison's disease, which most likely began during the Pacific war and was treated with atabrine, got worse in October 1947, when lethal outcome was feared. Once the president was killed, the autopsy revealed that JFK was affected by type-2 polyendocrine syndrome, an autoimmune disease characterized by the contemporary presence of Addison's disease, autoimmune thyreopathy and/or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Due to the difficulties in making the diagnosis and the association with other comorbidities (including depression) JFK underwent a multi-therapeutic approach until the point he had to take 10–12 different drugs a day, among which steroids, NSADs, antibiotics, sleeping pills and supplements for anemia.