Pope Francis continued to be in a critical condition on Sunday as his blood tests showed early kidney failure, the Vatican said. However, the 88-year-old pontiff remained alert, responsive and even attended Mass.
The Pope has been battling respiratory issues, including pneumonia and another complex lung infection.
The Vatican shared a health update late on Sunday and said that Francis did not suffer any more respiratory crises since Saturday night but, was still receiving major flows of supplementary oxygen, a report from The Associated Press said.
Though some blood tests showed “initial, mild, kidney failure”, the doctors said that it was under control. “The complexity of the clinical picture, and the necessary wait for drug therapies to provide some feedback, dictate that the prognosis remains guarded,” the pontiff’s doctor remarked.
However, doctors have warned that Francis is facing the threat of sepsis, a serious blood infection that can occur as a side effect of pneumonia. The Vatican, so far, has not provided any update regarding the onset of any sepsis.
Francis developed a low platelet count on Saturday, which continued to remain low but stable on Sunday. Low platelet counts can be a result of several factors, including the side effects of medicines, treatments and infections.
During blood transfusions on Saturday, the Pope also developed anemia, for which, he was given hematin, a treatment meant to increase the hemoglobin level in the blood. This helps the blood carry more oxygen, with doctors reporting the treatment to have been beneficial for the pontiff.
