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RESP - 1 > Pathology of Respiratory Tract Infection > Flashcards

Pathology of Respiratory Tract Infection Flashcards

(52 cards)

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1
Q

RTIs can be primary, facultative or opportunistic. What is meant by these terms?

A

Primary: patient well but has interacted with the right organism to make them unwell

Facultative: relatively healthy patient but with a risk factor to RTI

Opportunistic: only really infects immunocompromised indivdiuals

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2
Q

Give e.g.s of upper RTIs

A 
Coryza (common cold)
Sore throat syndromes
Acute laryngotracheobronchitis (croup)
Laryngitis 
Sinusitis 
Acute epiglottitis
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3
Q

What causes acute epiglottitis?

A

Hib

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4
Q

Who does epiglottitis primarily affect?

A

Was seen as a disease of childhood, but now more common in adults due to immunisation

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5
Q

What are features of acute epiglottitis?

A

Rapid onset
High temperature, generally unwell
Stridor
Drooling

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6
Q

What sign can be seen on CXR in acute epiglottitis?

A

A lateral view may show swelling of epiglottis - thumb sign

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7
Q

Give e.g.s of LRTIs

A

Bronchitis
Bronchiolitis
Pneumonia

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8
Q

What defense mechanisms does the respiratory tract have against infections?

A

Mucociliary escalator + macrophages
Humoural and cellular immunity - antibac secretions
URT acts as a filter (e.g. nose filters out large particles, complex space + large SA –> tuberulent flow = more particles trapped)
Nasal hair

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9
Q

What is the mucociliary escalator?

A

Macrophages can’t always digest debris so they move to the escalator to be cleared

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10
Q

What happens when the mucociliary escalator fails?

A

Secretions/FBs are retained in the lung –> secondary bacterial infection

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11
Q

When does the mucociliary escalator fail?

A

Tends to happen in a viral LRTI (viruses destroy the resp epithelial layer = deficient cilia)

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12
Q

What are 5 classifications of pneumonia based on aetiology?

A 
Community acquired
Hospital acquired/nosocomial (more aggressive + more likely to be resistant to antibiotics) 
Atypical
Aspiration 
Recurrent
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13
Q

What causes an aspiration pneumonia?

A

Aspiration of gastric contents in the context of abnormal vomiting

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14
Q

What does aspiration pneumonia often result from?

A

Incompetent swallowing mechanism, e.g. in neurological disease/injury, like stroke or intoxication

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15
Q

What are iatrogenic causes of aspiration penumonia?

A

Intubation

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16
Q

What are RFs for developing an aspiration pneumonia?

A 
Poor dental hygiene
Swallowing difficulties
Prolonged hospitalisation/surgical procedures
Impaired consciousness
Impaired mucociliary clearance
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17
Q

What bacteria most commonly are implicated in an aspiration pneumonia?

A

Streptococcus pneumoniae
Staphylococcus aureus
Haemophilus influenzae
Pseudomonas aeruginosa

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18
Q

What are different patterns of pneumonia?

A

Bronchopneumonia (diffuse)
Segmental
Lobar
Hypostatic (accumulation of secretions/fluid in lower bits of lungs –> increased risk of infection) - usually due to cardiac failure

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19
Q

Where does bronchial pneumonia affect?

A

Patches throughout both lungs (bronchioles + adjacent areas of lung)

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20
Q

What things commonly cause a bronchopneumonia?

A

AECOPD

Bacterial pneumonia etc.

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21
Q

If the patches of affected lung in a bronchopneumonia join up what is this called?

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A

Confluent bronchopneumonia

22
Q

What will you see on CXR in bronchopneumonia?

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A

Bilateral basal patchy opacifications

23
Q

Where does a lobar pneumonia affect?

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A

Primarily the alveoli of a lobe of lung

Can extend out to reach pleura

24
Q

Which of bronchopneumonia and lobar pneumonia are more aggressive?

25
What are complications of pneumonia?
``` Empyema Pleural effusion Organisation - fibroses e.g. COP (cryptogenic organising pneumonia) or BOOP (bronchiolitis obliterans organising pneumonia) Lung abscess Bronchiectasis Death ```
26
What does an organising pneumonia often resemble?
A lung cancer
27
How can a lung abscess form after a pneumonia?
Acute inflammatory process --> destruction of lung tissue | Pus gathers in this space
28
What organisms are commonly impacted in a lung abscess?
Staph aurues Pneumococci Klebsiella
29
What is bronchiectasis?
Permanent dilatation of airways secondary to chronic infection/inflammation
30
What are causes of bronchiectasis?
Post-infective - TB, measles, pertussis, pneumonia CF Bronchial obstruction, e.g. lung cancer/FB Immune deficiency: selective IgA hypogammaglobulinaemia Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis Ciliary dyskinetic syndromes, e.g. Kartagener's syndrome, Young syndrome Yellow nail syndrome
31
What is the pathophysiology of bronchiectasis?
Damaged drug contracts and pulls airways open leading to bronchiectasis which disrupts the mucociliary escalator + increases risk of infection
32
What are clinical features of bronchiectasis?
``` Cough Abundant, purulent, foul sputum Haemoptysis (haemorrhaging from dilated airways) Crackles Clubbing ```
33
How is bronchiectasis treated?
Assess for treatable causes then: Physical training, e.g. inspiratory muscle training Postural drainage Antibiotics for exacerbations, long term antibiotics in severe cases Bronchodilators Immunisations Surgery e.g. for localised disease
34
What are the most common organisms isolated from patients with bronchiectasis?
Haemophilus influenzae (most common) Pseudomonas aeruginosa Klebsiella spp. Streptococcus pneumoniae
35
What may be reasons for recurrent lung infections?
Local bronchial obstruction, e.g. tumour/FB Local pulmonary damage e.g. bronchiectasis Generalised lung disease - COPD? CF? Non-resp problems - immunocomp (HIV) Aspiration?
36
What is respiratory failure?
Gas exchange at the lungs is impaired so lung that hypoxaemia occurs (with or without an increase in CO2 levels)
37
What is type 1 respiratory failure?
Low oxygen and normal or low CO2
38
What is type 2 respiratory failure?
Low oxygen and high CO2
39
What is type 1 respiratory failure generally due to?
Damage of the lungs --> impaired gas diffusion (remaining normal lung still able to excrete CO2)
40
What is type 2 respiratory failure generally due to?
Ventilatory failure - it occurs when alveolar ventilation is insufficient to excrete CO2, may be due to reduced ventilatory effort or inability to overcome increased resistance to ventilation
41
Which of a V/Q mismatch and a shunt responds best to increases in FiO2?
V/Q mismatch
42
What is a shunt?
Passing of blood from the R to the L side of the heart without contacting ventilated alveoli
43
What is cor pulmonale?
When a disorder of the lungs causes right sided heart dysfunction (--> R heart failure)
44
What is the pathophysiology of cor pulmonale?
Lung disorder --> harder to oxygenate blood --> hypoxia --> hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (when a pulmonary arteriole is next to a poorly ventilated aveoli it constricts to shunt blood) --> increase in resistance --> pulmonary hypertension --> hard for right ventricle to push against this pressure (remember RV is thin and is made to push against low pulmonary resistance)
45
How can you tell the difference between an acute and a chronic lung disorder leading to increased pressure in the right ventricle?
In acute disorder - there is a rapid increase in pressure and so the RV balloons In chronic disorder - prolonged high pressure --> hypertrophy of RV
46
Why is RV hypertrophy in chronic lung disease a problem?
Less space for blood to fill RV --> diastolic heart failure Increase in wall size means it requires more oxygen to pump Increased bulk puts pressure on coronary arteries so even less blood delivered RV All this leads to RV ischaemia --> weaker contraction + systolic failure
47
What is the main thing that causes cor pulmonale?
Pulmonary hypertension
48
What 3 things can cause pulmonary hypertension and lead to cor pulmonale?
Damage to the lung tissue, e.g. COPD Damage to the pulmonary vessels, e.g. recurrent blood clots Disease of spine/ribcage, e.g. kyphoscolosis (lungs cannot expand properly)
49
What are the symptoms of cor pulmonale?
``` Due to backup of blood in venous system - Severe SOB Fatigue Fainting JVP elevated Hepatomegaly Oedema ```
50
How is cor pulmonale diagnosed?
ECG shoes evidence of increased pressure in pulmonary vessels and ventricle
51
What is the gold standard technique used to assess pulmonary pressures in cor pulmonale?
Right heart catheterisation
52
How is cor pulmonale treated?
Treat underlying lung disease | Supplementary oxygen

RESP - 1 (27 decks)

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