Disease of the Sultans: metabolic syndrome in Ottoman dynasty

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome is generally considered as a complication of modernity. Here we searched for the presence of metabolic syndrome components among the Ottoman emperors who lived between 1258 and 1926. Collections of historical archives, which were published as books specifically about morbidity and mortality of Ottoman emperors were reviewed to diagnose metabolic syndrome according to modified criteria by American College of Endocrinology and American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. Nineteen of 36 dynasty members (53%) had fatal or non-fatal cardiovascular events. Twenty-nine of the dynasty (81%) members were either depicted as truncal obese or reported to have obesity. Thirteen emperors (36%) satisfied diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome, retrospectively. Overall, 42% of non-commanding emperors, but 26% of commanding-emperors (who were assumed to be athletically grown and physically more active) were found to have metabolic syndrome (p=0.553). We suggest firstly here that sedentary palace lifestyle exacerbated metabolic syndrome in Ottoman dynasty especially in elderly members, thereafter complicated by cardiovascular events, even in pre-modern era.