Francis' Health: The Picture Is too Rosy Francis remains in a critical condition, writes Dr Paolo Gulisano, a doctor, on AldoMariaValli.it (1 March). The bilateral interstitial pneumonia is an almost always fatal diagnosis, which leads to almost inevitable complications and a progressive and irreversible deterioration of the situation. Pope Francis's age and obesity are important additional risk factors, particularly for cardiological complications. The official bulletins issued by the doctors are all lacking in detail, especially with regard to Francis' vital parameters. On 28 February, the Vatican reported "an isolated crisis of bronchospasm which, however, led to an episode of vomiting with inhalation and a sudden deterioration in the respiratory situation". Gulisano calls this an inaccurate information because this episode makes him think of a new form of serious lung disease, pneumonia 'ab ingestis', which occurs in weak elderly patients with difficulty swallowing when food ends up …More