Sami Basu, the longest-living person with progeria in the world, has died

Sami Basuan Italian suffers from Hutchinson-Gilford syndromealso known as Progeriathe ProgeriaHe died at the age of 28, and on Sunday the sixth of this month, many public figures celebrated the courage with which he faced the disease.

According to Italian media, Basso is the oldest person in the world to have the disease, with his average life expectancy at birth being about 14 years. Basu died on Saturday evening, the fifth of this month, after falling ill while having dinner with his friends in a restaurant, according to what was reported by the local press.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “Sami Basso was an exceptional example of courage, faith and positive spirit. He faced every challenge with a smile, showing that the strength of the spirit can overcome all obstacles.” “His commitment to progeria research and ability to inspire others will forever be an example,” he added.

Basso was born on December 1, 1995 in northern Italy, studied at the University of Padua, and in 2021 he specialized in molecular biology with a thesis that sought to clarify the relationship between inflammation and premature aging, according to the newspaper. La Repubblica. He was active on social media and had more than 70k followers on Instagram.

What is progeria?

Progeria is a very rare genetic disease, affecting 1 in every 8 million births, according to the World Health Organization Italian Progeria Association Sami Basso APS OnlusFounded by Basu.

according to Progeria guideFrom the PASO Association, the majority of children with progeria are born completely healthy. They begin to show some characteristics of the disease in the first year of life.

“One of the first signs is tightness or swelling of the skin in the abdomen and/or thighs. Other signs include failure to thrive, loss of body fat and hair, skin changes, joint stiffness, hip dislocation, generalized atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease and stroke.” , says the document.

Without treatment, patients die from atherosclerosis (accumulation of fat on the walls of the arteries), with an average lifespan of 14.5 years. According to the association, there are currently only 130 cases of classic progeria have been identified worldwide. He points out that the number is an underestimate, because it is often difficult to track cases./ With Agence France-Presse

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