Inflammation and Its Manifestations

Inflammation

• Inflammation is a natural bodily response to injury or infection.
• It involves the activation and recruitment of white blood cells to the affected site.
• Inflammation can occur in any tissue, organ, or system.
• It can be acute or chronic.
• Examples of disorders with an inflammatory component include: allergic rhinitis, asthma, anaphylaxis, ankylosing spondylitis, appendicitis, osteoarthritis, contact dermatitis, Crohn disease, gallbladder disease, nephritis, peptic ulcer disease, and ulcerative colitis.
• Autoimmune disorders can also involve inflammation, where the body misinterprets its own tissues as harmful.
• Examples of autoimmune disorders involving inflammation include: psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Classic Manifestations of Inflammation

• Erythema (redness): Local area of injury appears red due to increased blood flow.
• Heat: Increased local or systemic temperature due to increased blood flow.
• Swelling (edema): Fluid accumulation in the tissues can lead to swelling in limbs, abdomen, lungs, or around the lungs.
• Pain: An unpleasant feeling caused by damaging stimuli.
• Impaired function: Inability to use the affected tissue or organ efficiently.

Chronic Inflammation

• Chronic inflammation can lead to structural changes in tissues.
• For example, Crohn disease can cause fibrotic changes in the bowel wall, leading to obstruction, abscesses, and fistulas.
• Malabsorption or malnutrition may result from chronic intestinal inflammation.
• In RA, chronic inflammation affects the lining of the joints, leading to pain, swelling, erythema, and potential joint deformity.

Interventions and Treatments

• Erythema: Ice or no treatment.
• Heat: Antipyretics (acetaminophen, NSAIDs, aspirin) and applying ice or cool packs.
• Swelling: Diuretics, reduced sodium intake, treatment of underlying cause, elevation, compression, and movement.
• Pain: Analgesics (acetaminophen, NSAIDs, opioids), treatment of the underlying cause, heat/ice, distraction, massage, and relaxation techniques.
• Impaired function: Treatment of the underlying condition, physical therapy, analgesics, adequate sleep/rest, administration of oxygen, parenteral nutrition, and dialysis.

Ankylosing Spondylitis

• A form of arthritis primarily affecting the spine.
• Vertebral inflammation leads to chronic pain and discomfort.
• The sacroiliac joints are affected by disease progression.
• In severe cases, new bone formation on the spine causes spinal processes to fuse, leading to a fixed, immobile position and a forward-stooped posture.

Prevalence of Chronic Inflammatory Diseases

• Chronic inflammatory diseases are a significant cause of death globally.
• Estimated 5-7% of the Western population are affected by at least one chronic disease.
• It is difficult to determine the prevalence of acute inflammation.

Genetic Considerations and Nonmodifiable Risk Factors

• Genetic factors play a role in inflammatory diseases.
• Genome-wide association studies have identified over 450 genetic risk loci associated with inflammatory diseases.
• While there are some commonalities, each inflammatory disease has unique loci.
• The IL-23/IL-17 pathway is a common pathway affected in many inflammatory diseases.

Explore the body's natural response to injury or infection through this quiz on inflammation. Delve into its classic signs, types, and examples of disorders that involve inflammation, including autoimmune diseases. Test your understanding of how inflammation affects various tissues and systems in the body.