Acute Inflammation Flashcards

1
Q

What is acute inflammation?

A

a dynamic homeostatic mechanism by which a series of protective changes occur in living tissue as a response to injury

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2
Q

What are the 5 Cardinal Signs of acute inflammation?

A
dolor-pain
calor-heat
rubor-redness
tumour-swelling
loss of function
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3
Q

What are 6 examples of causes of acute inflammation?

A
  1. microorganisms
  2. mechanical trauma - injury to tissue
  3. chemical- bile and urine - irritation when in wrong place
  4. physical - extreme conditions - sunburn, frostbite
  5. dead tissue - cel necrosis irritates adjacent tissue
  6. hypersensitivity
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4
Q

Give a basic description of what acute inflammation is.

A
  • series of microscopic events
  • localised to affected tissue
  • take place in microcirculation
  • results in cardinal signs
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5
Q

What is the microcirculation?

A

capillary beds, extracellular space and fluid and molecules in it, lymphatic channels and drainage
starling forces control flow (fluid flux) across membrane

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6
Q

What are the 3 main steps in acute inflammation?

A
  1. changes in vessel radius - flow
  2. change in permeability of vessel wall - called exudation
  3. movement of neutrophils from vessel to to extravascular space
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7
Q

Describe the process by which there is a change in the flow in the blood vessel.

A
  1. transient arteriolar constriction
  2. local arteriolar dilation - active hyperaemia
  3. relaxation of vessel smooth muscle
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8
Q

Why does an increase in radius result in an increase in flow?

A
  • poiseuille’s law - flow is proportional to the radius to the power of 4
  • an increase in arteriolar radius causes an increase in local tissue blood flow
  • results in observed redness and heat
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9
Q

Describe the basics behind the increase in permeability stage of acute inflammation.

A
  • localised vascular response that will occur in the microvascular bed
  • a result of locally produced chemical mediators
  • results in endothelial leak - fluid and protein not held in vessel lumen
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10
Q

What is exudate?

A

fluid rich in protein - plasma

includes immunoglobulin and fibrinogen

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11
Q

What are the effects of exudation?

A

oedema formed (accumulation of fluid in extravascular space)
this explains the swelling of tissue
causes pain

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12
Q

What is another effect of increased permeability?

A

fluid loss- increased viscosity

rate of flow slows -stasis

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13
Q

Describe basics of flow in acute inflammation. (In reference to blood cells)

A

Red cells aggregate in centre of lumen

neutrophil polymorphonuclear leukocytes found near endothelium

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14
Q

What are the 3 phases of emigration of neutrophils?

A
  1. margination -move to endothelium of lumen
  2. pavementing - neutrophils adhere to endothelium
  3. emigration - neutrophils squeeze between endothelial cells
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15
Q

What occurs in the resolution of acute inflammation?

A
  1. inflammation resolves
  2. cause of inflammation eradicated
  3. epithelial surfaces regenerate
  4. inflammatory exudates filter away
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16
Q

What do neutrophils do?

A
  • recognise antigen and move towards it via chemotaxis and adhere to organism
  • granules possess oxidants and enzymes
  • release granule contents
  • phagocytose and destroy foreign antigens
17
Q

What happens after the neutrophils have finished doing their job?

A
  • the neutrophils die after granule contents released
  • pus is produced (it is a soup of fluids, organisms and endogenous proteins)
  • pus might extend into other tissues, progressing the inflammation
18
Q

What is the role of plasma proteins in acute inflammation?

A
  • immunoglobulins - specific for antigen - humeral response

- fibrinogen - coagulation factor - forms fibrin and clots exudate - localises inflammatory process

19
Q

Name 3 general mediators of acute inflammation.

A
  • molecules on endothelial cell surface membrane
  • molecules released from cells
  • molecules in plasma
20
Q

Cell surface mediators - functions

A

to be sticky
ICAM1 helps neutrophils stick
P. Selectin interacts with neutrophil surface

21
Q

Molecules released from cells

A

can inhibit or promote acute inflammation

22
Q

Give an example of a chemical that will inhibit the process of acute inflammation

A

platelet activation factor on cell membranes of activated inflammatory cells- reduces permeability by enhancing platelet degranulation at site of injury

23
Q

Give an example of a chemical that will promote the process of acute inflammation.

A

oxygen free radicals which are released by neutrophils during phagocytosis - amplify mediator effects

24
Q

Plasma mediators work by interaction of 4 enzyme cascades. Name them.

A
  1. blood coagulation pathways
  2. fibrinolysis - helps maintain blood supply
  3. kinin system - bradykinin - pain
  4. complement system - ties inflammation with immune system
25
Q

3 immediate systemic effects of inflammation

A

pyrexia - raised temperature
feel unwell - malaise, anorexia, nausea
neutrophilia - raised white cell count

26
Q

Longer term effects of acute inflammation.

A
  • lymphadenopathy - enlargement of the lymph nodes
  • weight loss - catabolic process
  • anaemia
27
Q

What is suppuration?

A

pus formation

28
Q

What happens with the pus that forms?

A

a pyogenic membrane forms around it and walls it off

29
Q

What is a pyogenic membrane?

A

the debris e.g. the capillaries, neutrophils, granulation tissue

30
Q

What is an abscess?

A

pus under pressure
can be a single local or multiloculated
‘points’ and discharges
collapses - healing and repair

31
Q

Where other than cutaneously can you find pus?

A

empyema - in a hollow viscus e.g. gall bladder, pleural cavity
pyaemia - discharge to blood stream

32
Q

What is characteristic of organisation in acute inflammation?

A

granulation tissue formation
which is part of healing and repair
leads to fibrosis and formation of a scar

33
Q

What is granulation tissue?

A

new capillaries - angiogenesis
fibroblasts and collagen
macrophages

34
Q

What is meant by ‘septic’?

A

spread to blood

35
Q

What is meant by bacteraemia?

A

bacteria in the blood

36
Q

What is meant by septicaemia?

A

growth of bacteria in the blood

37
Q

What is meant by toxaemia?

A

toxic products in the blood

38
Q

What is ‘shock’?

A

inability to perfuse tissues

39
Q

How does septic shock present itself clinically?

A
tachycardia- high heart rate
hypotension - low blood pressure
peripheral vasodilation
often pyrexia
sometimes hemorrhagic skin rash