Rare autoimmune disease caused JFK's ailments, Navy doctor says

(Los Angeles Times) - John F. Kennedy's Addison's disease, which came to light only after his election as president in 1960, was most likely caused by a rare autoimmune disease, according to a Navy doctor who reviewed Kennedy's medical records. The disorder, called autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome Type 2, or APS 2, also caused Kennedy's hypothyroidism, according to a report published yesterday in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

In today's hyperactive media environment where the smallest sneeze of a celebrity is thoroughly analyzed, it is difficult to believe that Kennedy's family and advisers were able to keep his medical history virtually a complete secret. The youngest man ever elected to the presidency at age 43, Kennedy was pictured as healthy and vibrant. In reality, he suffered from a variety of problems that were kept in check by a daily regimen of steroids and other drugs.