Respiratory System Quiz

Respiratory System

• Upper Respiratory Tract (URT) affected areas include nose, sinuses, larynx, and trachea. Symptoms are often mild and transient, typically caused by viruses.

• Lower Respiratory Tract (LRT) affected areas include bronchi, terminal bronchi, and lung parenchyma. Symptoms can vary from mild bronchitis to serious conditions like pneumonia with mortality risk, often caused by bacteria or viruses. Atypical and fungal infections can also occur.

• Respiratory organs have defense mechanisms to prevent pathogens. These include: cough reflex, nasal hairs, ciliary apparatus, antibody secretion, phagocytic activity of alveolar macrophages, and cell-mediated immunity, including virulent infections.

• Viral infections can cause common colds, sore throats, and influenza, impacting mainly the URT. Bacterial infections can lead to acute laryngitis, epiglottitis, and pneumonia.

• Bronchopneumonia is an inflammation starting in the bronchus and spreading to adjacent alveolar spaces. It often involves Streptococcus pneumoniae or Staphylococcus aureus, with white-yellowish foci appearing in the lungs.

• Lobar pneumonia starts in alveoli and spreads to an entire lobe, showing congestion, red and grey hepatization. Viral pneumonia, often atypical initially, involves interstitial tissues and may include Influenza A, B, Adenovirus, or SARS.

• Primary infections are viral, bacterial, mycoplasma, or fungal, whereas secondary infections often follow viral infections or are triggered by irritants.

Other Systems

• Small Intestine : Can develop adenocarcinoma, carcinoid tumors, or lymphoma, and may experience malabsorption or ischemia.
• Large Intestine : Hyperplastic polyps are benign; adenomatous polyps are pre-malignant, and hamartomas are inflammatory. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, and ischemia are also possible conditions.
• Liver : Hepatitis A does not usually become chronic. Hepatitis B and C can progress to cirrhosis. Jaundice results from bilirubin buildup if liver cells malfunction. Cirrhosis results from scarring in the liver
• Pancreas: Acute pancreatitis can be caused by gallstones, heavy alcohol use, or high calcium levels, resulting in autodigestion by activated enzymes. Chronic pancreatitis is also possible.
• All of the above systems can develop tumors including cancer or other growths.

Gastrointestinal Tract

• Esophagus: Squamous cell carcinoma, common in smokers and those who drink, can arise in the esophagus, whereas adenocarcinoma may be caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
• Stomach: Adenocarcinoma and lymphoma are possible cancers that can be caused by Helicobacter pylori in the stomach, while acute gastritis can be caused by various factors, including NSAIDs, alcohol and infections. Carcinoid tumors secreting chemicals can cause various symptoms in the body.
• Small Intestine : Can develop Adenocarcinoma, Carcinoid tumors & lymphoma, or experience malabsorption and ischemia.
• Large Intestine: Hyperplastic polyps (benign), adenomatous polyps (pre-malignant), hamartoma (inflammatory), or conditions like Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, and ischemia may occur. Additionally, some general conditions like, high energy intake and low fiber may occur.
• Other conditions in the system may also affect other organs, leading to disease or further complications.

Classification of Malignant Lung Tumors

• Epithelial (90-95%):
  • Non-small cell carcinoma (70-80%): Squamous cell (25-40%), Adenocarcinoma (25-40%), Large cell (10-15%)
  • Small cell carcinoma (20-25%)
  • Carcinoid
• Lymphoma

Primary Lung Carcinoma

• Incidence: 40-70 years old
• Cause: Primarily cigarettes
• Prognosis: Poor, surgical resection only possible in 20-30% of patients; 30-40% 5-year survival after surgery.

Secondary Lung Tumors

• Metastases from other organs (breast, kidney, and testicular tumors). Multiple nodules are scattered in the lungs.
• Histology will match the primary tumor (non-lung).
• Prognosis is linked to the primary tumor.

Neoplasia

• A tumor is a new growth.
• A benign tumor cannot metastasize (spread).
• A malignant tumor can metastasize.
• Oncology is the study of cancer, while an oncologist treats cancer patients.

Cell Types (Benign vs. Malignant)

• Benign cells cannot metastasize but can be lethal. Malignant cells can spread.
• The suffix "-oma" usually indicates a benign tumor.
• Examples Lipoma, chondroma, adenoma.

Epidemiology

• Epidemiology is the study of disease occurrence in populations.
• Environmental factors, aging, and iatrogenic causes (medical treatments) influence diseases' frequency.
• Genetic factors, including hereditary risks, somatic mutations (acquired), and mutations in specific genes (oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes), influence diseases.

Cell Cycle, Growth & Differentiation

• Growth: Increase in size and mass of cells.
• Differentiation: Cells acquiring specialized features.
• Morphological development: During embryonic development, organs form.
• Cell turnover: Balance between cell growth and apoptosis.
• Apoptosis: Programmed cell death crucial for development and homeostasis.
• Regeneration: Cells' ability to reproduce and regenerate.

Fetal Growth

• Sex hormones, high sugar levels from the mother, and external factors like smoking, alcohol, and drugs influence fetal growth.
• Hyperplasia: Increase in cell number.
• Hypertrophy: Increase in cell size.
• Atrophy: Decrease in cell size or number, for various reasons.

Other Conditions

• Atherosclerosis: Thickening and hardening of arteries due to plaque build-up, leading to narrowing or complete blockage.
• Thrombosis: Blood clots formation within blood vessels, potentially leading to embolism.
• Embolism: Dislodged blood clot travelling to another part of the body, potentially blocking blood vessels.
• Ischemia/Infarction: Insufficient blood supply to a tissue, leading to damage or death of cells.
• Hypertension: High blood pressure, sustained at high levels than normal.
• Cardiovascular System Issues: Various problems including ischaemic heart disease (poor blood flow to the heart), acute coronary artery syndrome, myocardial infarction (heart attack), and others.
• Cancer and Tumors: Cancer development may arise from various cellular events including the cell cycle, growth and differentiation.

Disorders of the Immune System (and Related Notes)

• Innate Immune System: Cells mediating attacks on foreign bodies.
• Adaptive Immune System: Responding to infections and foreign antigens (B and T cells).
• MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex) Classes 1 & 2: Binding to different peptide fragments.
• Immune Tolerance: Immune system not responding to self-antigens.
• Hypersensitivity Reactions: Various immune responses, sometimes damaging to tissue (e.g., anaphylaxis).
• Diseases: Various autoimmune diseases and immunological disorders can result in organ damage and complications in the body.

Renal Pathology

• Renal Failure: Pre-renal, renal, or post-renal causes impacting glomerulus, tubules, and interstitium.
• Diseases: Pyelonephritis, acute and chronic bilateral or unilateral obstructions, stone or other related conditions can arise.
• Complications: Kidney damage, potentially leading to failure.

Female Genital Tract

• Cervix: Infections are associated with HPV. Dysplasia (abnormal cell changes), neoplasia and cancer.
• Uterus: Possible tumors and polyps, hyperplasia, fibroids, and endometrial conditions.

CNS

• Oxygen Deprivation: Can lead to issues like ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes, causing brain damage or death potentially.
• Hemorrhagic Stroke: Blood vessels rupture, leading to bleeding within the brain or surrounding tissues.
• Ischaemic Stroke: Blockage of blood supply, leading to insufficient oxygen for brain tissue.
• Infections affecting the nervous system
• Tumors: Various tumors such as meningioma, gliomas (astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, ependymoma), or metastastic cancers from other organs.

Other related conditions

• Skin Tumors: Actinic Keratosis, Bowen's disease (pre-malignant), squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, adnexal tumors (pilomatrixoma), melanocytic tumors (naevus, melanoma).
• Other tumors/cancers: cancers and tumors can affect many different systems and tissues potentially leading to a variety of diseases and complications.

Test your knowledge on the respiratory system, covering topics such as upper and lower respiratory tract infections, pneumonia characteristics, and defense mechanisms. This quiz includes various questions about the symptoms, causes, and complications associated with respiratory issues.