Chronic inflammation Flashcards
1
Q
How does chronic inflammation arise?
A
- may take over from acute inflammation
- ‘de novo’ - autoimmune or chronic conditions
- alongside recurrent acute inflammation
2
Q
What are the effects of chronic inflammation?
A
- fibrosis
- impaired function
- atrophy
- immune response
3
Q
Which cells are principally involved in chronic inflammation?
A
- macrophages: phagocytosis and cytokine release
- lymphocyte: forms antibodies and cytotoxic cells
- eosinophils: allergies, parasite infection, some tumours
- fibroblasts: recruited by macrophages to make collagen
- giant cells: multinucleated macrophages
4
Q
What are the three types of macrophages and how can you identify them?
A
- Langhans: nuclei around periphery, often seen in TB
- Foreign body: random nuclei
- Touton: nuclei in ring in centre of cell. they form lesions where there is fat necrosis and xanthomas.
5
Q
How does cholecystitis arise and how is it treated?
A
- repeated obstruction of gall bladder with stones
- leads to chronic inflammation
- treated with cholecystectomy
6
Q
How does gastric ulceration occur?
A
- repeated acute inflammation - acute gastritis
- chronic gastritis - i.e. H. Pylori
- treated with PPI +/- abx
7
Q
What is granulomatous inflammation?
A
- formed when there is a cross over between chronic inflammation and immune responses
- formation of granulomas.
- Granulomas form when the immune system walls off something that it is unable to eliminate, for example bacteria, fungi and other foreign material.
- main causes are foreign bodies or infections
- examples include TB
