Is swelling a requisite element of inflammation?

pseudofax

Assuming the inflammatory process always invokes a proliferation of white blood cells to the site of injury, where fluid leaks into the surrounding tissue as a result of vascular and lymphatic changes, is it correct to state inflammation cannot exist without swelling? Obviously, tissue augmentation does not in itself provide proof of swelling. Are there any requisite elements for inflammation? Thx.

sam34

pseudofax wrote: »

Assuming the inflammatory process always invokes a proliferation of white blood cells to the site of injury, where fluid leaks into the surrounding tissue as a result of vascular and lymphatic changes, is it correct to state inflammation cannot exist without swelling? Obviously, tissue augmentation does not in itself provide proof of swelling. Are there any requisite elements for inflammation? Thx.

according to my old prof of surgery, the features of inflammation are:

calor (heat)
rubor (redness)
dolour (pain) and
tumour (swelling)

Traumadoc

I would say it was difficult, but I suppose you may not have swelling in say compartment syndrome, or in ARDS, but generally where you have injury and activation of the inflammatory response , the effect is increased capp permeability.

pseudofax

Interesting answers. What confuses the hell out of me though, is that apparently none of these symptoms are dependent on each other. I believe it most likely isn't possible to have inflammation without swelling. So Swelling as an effect of inflammation could be responsible for pretty much all chronic disease:)

Traumadoc

No you could have congestive cardiac failure where swelling is not the result of the inflammatory process.
Lymphatic or venous obstruction may cause swelling without inflammation.

El_Dangeroso

pseudofax wrote: »

Interesting answers. What confuses the hell out of me though, is that apparently none of these symptoms are dependent on each other. I believe it most likely isn't possible to have inflammation without swelling. So Swelling as an effect of inflammation could be responsible for pretty much all chronic disease:)

Inflammation is a feature of many chronic diseases, as we are now discovering, but it doesn't 'cause' it anymore than children 'cause' childhood mortality. But it would be interesting to see if mitigating inflammation can ameliorate symptoms or progression of disease.

Cancer and Inflammation

Cardiovascular disease and Inflammation

Autoimmune disease and Inflammation

Depression and Inflammation

Schizophrenia and Inflammation

You can pretty much google any chronic disease and inflammation and get a few good papers.

Traumadoc

Inflammation or the inflammatory response has long been recognized as a cause for mortality .
Many researchers have for years looked at controlling the inflammatory response as a means for decreasing mortality.

Multiorgan failure from reperfusion injuries , Sepsis syndrome, surviving sepsis campaign, activated protein C, use of steroids in the septic patient are just some of the subjects looked at.

pseudofax

Traumadoc wrote: »

No you could have congestive cardiac failure where swelling is not the result of the inflammatory process.
Lymphatic or venous obstruction may cause swelling without inflammation.

According to the Johns Hopkins medical centre website, edema(swelling) in the ankles and legs and other organs such as the lungs is a defacto symptom of congestive heart failure. Makes sense, if the ability to pump blood at a normal pressure is reduced, fluid is going to leak and accumulate into surrounding tissues. Not to mention the kidney damage.

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/adult/cardiovascular_diseases/heart_failure_85,P00206/

pseudofax

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

Inflammation is a feature of many chronic diseases, as we are now discovering, but it doesn't 'cause' it anymore than children 'cause' childhood mortality. But it would be interesting to see if mitigating inflammation can ameliorate symptoms or progression of disease.

Cancer and Inflammation

Cardiovascular disease and Inflammation

Autoimmune disease and Inflammation

Depression and Inflammation

Schizophrenia and Inflammation

You can pretty much google any chronic disease and inflammation and get a few good papers.

Good resources imo. True, genetic diseases for instance are encoded into a persons genes before birth in many cases, so it's a bit more complicated than stating inflammation is the cause of most chronic disease. Merely, it's a classic sign of chronic disease. I think.