Acute Inflammation Flashcards

1
Q

What is inflammation?

A

Local physiological response to tissue injury

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is the difference between acute and chronic inflammation?

A

Acute: initial and transient reaction to tissue injury

Chronic: subsequent and prolonged reaction to tissue injury

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Pros and cons of inflammation?

A

Pro: destruction of micro-organisms

Con: can produce disease, for example abscess in brain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are the steps in the development of acute inflammation?

A
  1. Initial reaction to tissue injury
  2. Dilatation of vessels
  3. Vascular leakage of protein rich fluid
  4. Neutrophil recruitment
  5. Outcome: resolution, suppuration, progression to chronic inflammation
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is suppuration?

A

Pus formation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

List 5 causes of inflammation!

A
  1. Infections
  2. Hypersensitivity reactions
  3. Physical agents: trauma, ionising radiation
  4. Irritant & corrosive agents: acids, alkalis
  5. Tissue necrosis: ischaemic infarction
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What’s the most common cause of inflammation?

A

Infection

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

How do bacteria lead to inflammation occurring?

A

They release toxins which synthesise chemicals that initiate inflammation

Also can release chemical irritants that lead directly to inflammation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

How do viruses lead to inflammation occurring?

A

They cause cell death by multiplying inside cells.. dying cells = inflammation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Which micro-organisms are known to cause hypersensitivity reactions in the body, thus leading to inflammation?

A

Parasites

Tuberculosis bacteria

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Describe what is meant by micro-organisms causing a hypersensitivity reaction?

Give an example!

A

When the immune system produces an inappropriate or excessive reaction to the micro-organism, which causes damage to the body tissues

Example: TB, body tries to fight off bacteria but actually creates granulomas in the process, which affect lung function

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Give some examples of physical agents that can cause inflammation. How do they do it?

A

Trauma
Ionising radiation
Excessive heat / cold

Cause tissue damage
Tissue damage leads to inflammation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Give some examples of irritants that can cause inflammation.

A

Acids
Alkalis
Oxidising agents

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What would you see at the edges of a site of necrotic tissue?

A

Signs of acute inflammation

Because necrotic tissue releases peptides which causes inflammation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

List the macroscopic appearances of inflammation!

A

RUBOR
CALOR
TUMOR
DOLOR

Loss of function
Serous exudate
Suppurative: pus formation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is meant by rubor?

A

Redness

Due to dilation of blood vessels in the inflamed area

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is meant by calor?

A

Heat
Due to the increased blood flow to the inflamed area

Obviously this is only noticeable in peripheral areas

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What is meant by ‘tumor’?

A

Swelling, oedema

Due to accumulation of fluid in extravascular space AND the mass of inflammatory cells that have migrated there

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What happens if ‘tumor’ is occurring for a long time?

A

New connective tissue forms that contributes to the initial problem

20
Q

What is meant by dolor?

A

Pain
Due to stretching and distortion of tissues
Excess pressure
Chemical mediators stimulated which induce pain

21
Q

Why does loss of function occur

A

Dolor: Movement is inhibited by pain

Tumor: swelling can immobilise tissues

22
Q

What should you look for on a histological slide when diagnosing acute inflammation?

A

Neutrophils

Purple, wbcs

23
Q

What do neutrophils contribute to the inflammatory process?

A

Movement, adhesion, destruction of micro-organisms

Phagocytosis

24
Q

What components accumulate in extra-cellular spaces during inflammation (tumor)?

A

Oedema fluid
Fibrin
Neutrophils

25
Q

Cellular exudate is formed in acute inflammation, true or false?

A

True!

26
Q

Vessels become less permeable in acute inflammation, true or false?

A

False!

You get increased vascular permeability

27
Q

Small vessels dilate in acute inflammation, true or false?

A

True!

To allow everything to get to the site to help

28
Q

Chemical mediators like histamine, bradykinin, NO and many more cause vascular permeability.

How quickly do they do so and how long does the response last?

A

Immediately but transiently

29
Q

Severe direct vascular injury causes increased vascular permeability.

How quickly does this happen and how long does it last?

A

Immediately and sustained

30
Q

Endothelial cell injury causes increased vascular permeability.

How quickly does this happen and how long does it last?

A

Delayed but prolonged

31
Q

What can cause endothelial cell injury?

A

X-rays

Bacterial toxins

32
Q

Name some chemical mediators that cause immediate, transient increased vascular permeability.

A

Histamine
Bradykinin
Nitric oxide

33
Q

What main effect do chemical mediators have that contribute to acute inflammation?

How?

A

They cause the spread of acute inflammation

Inflamed tissue releases them and they spread to uninflamed tissue

34
Q

List the effects of the chemical mediators.

A
Vasodilatation
Emigration of neutrophils
Chemotaxis
Increased vascular permeability
Itching & pain
35
Q

Briefly, what do histamine and thrombin do?

A

Upregulation of adhesion molecules on the surface of endothelial cells

36
Q

What are plasma factors?

A

Enzymes found in the plasma

They form part of 4 cascade systems that result in the production of inflammatory mediators

37
Q

What do macrophages do?

A

Ingest pathogens and digest them using enzymes in their lysosomes

38
Q

What is necrotising tissue?

What does it mean if it’s gangrenous?

A

Tissue that’s dead as well as inflamed

It is beginning to decompose

39
Q

List and describe the outcomes of acute inflammation.

A
  1. Resolution: everything goes back to normal
  2. Suppuration: pus formation
  3. Organisation: reorganising a tissue into a scar, a solid structure
  4. Progression to chronic inflammation
40
Q

What are the systemic effects of inflammation?

A

Pyrexia
Malaise, anorexia, nausea
Weight loss

Reactive hyperplasia of reticuloendothelial system: swelling of lymph tissues due to excess production of lymphocytes

Increased white cell count
Amyloidosis

41
Q

What is amyloidosis?

A

Deposition of insoluble, abnormally folded proteins which stops organs & tissues working properly

42
Q

What is meant by constitutional symptoms?

A

Malaise, anorexia, nausea

symptoms to do with how you feel

43
Q

What impact does excessive exudate have on the outcome of acute inflammation?

A

The outcome will be suppuration, not resolution

44
Q

What impact does excessive necrosis have on the outcome of acute inflammation?

A

The outcome will be reorganisation (scar formation) rather than resolution

45
Q

What happens when the cause of inflammation is persistent? What is the outcome of acute inflammation?

A

Progression to chronic inflammation rather than resolution