Project nEU-Med. The Contribution of Isotopic Analysis in the Differential Diagnosis of Anemia, the Case of the Medieval Cemetery of Vetricella (Scarlino, GR) in Tuscany

Dados Bibliográficos

ID21153293
AutoresViva (0000-0002-0722-4387, University of Siena, autor correspondente), P F Fabbri (0000-0003-3633-0178, University of Salento), Paola Ricci (0000-0002-7652-8915, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli"), Richard Hodges (0000-0003-1318-1640, University of Siena), G Bianchi (University of Siena), Carmine Lubritto (0000-0003-0009-1400, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli")
Ano2025
Volume30
Fascículo2
Páginas171-184
Data de publicação2025-03-04
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoEnvironmental Archaeology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1461-4103 • E-ISSN: 1749-6314
EditoraInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14614103.2020.1867290
OpenAlexW3137983174
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas9
Referências citadas84

Pathological conditions in skeletal remains, such as cribra orbitalia and porotic hyperostosis, can be caused by etiologically different forms of anemia: hereditary hemolytic anemias, iron deficiency anemias, megaloblastic anemias, etc. Though not always simple to apply, differential diagnosis of cases of anemia found in the archaeological record is essential to correlate the pathology with the wider environmental and socio-cultural context.Anthropological analysis of the skeletal sample from the archaeological site of Vetricella showed a very high prevalence of cribra orbitalia and porotic hyperostosis. The differential diagnosis between acquired and congenital anemia is essential in the study of this condition, especially considering the presence of Plasmodium falciparum in this area and its role in the possible subsequent spread of the thalassaemia gene, which was widespread until a few decades ago.Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis was carried out on a large subset of the skeletal sample, including both anemic and non-anemic individuals, to investigate the nutritional patterns of the Vetricella population in order to verify whether the widespread traces of anemia might be of dietary origin.Isotope results allowed for the exclusion of the hypothesis of nutritional-deficiency anemia and supported the hypothesis of congenital anemia

Anemia · Archaeology · Differential diagnosis · Geography · Megaloblastic anemia · Pathology · Forensic and Genetic Research · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies · Medicine · Paleopathology and ancient diseases · Internal Medicine