Question

Melanie has had a recent cold with symptoms of runny nose, sneezing, coughing, congestion, and malaise. Today, she is concerned that she has a sharp pain in her chest. She goes to see her health care provider, and is diagnosed with costochondritis, an inflammation in the cartilage between the ribs. From your reading related to cellular injury and adaptations as well as inflammation, answer the following questions:
a. What anatomic problem most likely leads to costochondritis?
b. What is the injury in costochondritis?
c. What would the acute inflammatory response look like?

Answer 1

Answer:

a. Viral infections may lead to inflammation between the ribs (i.e., costochondritis)

b. Viral infection

c. Viral infection may lead to the influx of chemical mediators (cytokines), increased blood flow, and movement of plasma and white blood cells (leukocytes) from the blood into the injured site

Explanation:

Costochondritis is a painful condition caused by the inflammation of the cartilage that joins the ribs to the breastbone (this joint is known as the “costochondral joint”). Costochondritis is caused by inflammation of the costochondral joint, which may be triggered by multiple causes including, among others, viral/bacterial/fungal infections, exercise or strenuous activity, chest trauma, osteoarthritis, presence of tumors, etc. Acute inflammation is the immediate immune response of the body to harmful stimuli (e.g., viral infections), which is characterized by the increased movement of white blood cells (such as neutrophils and macrophages) that rapidly travel from the blood into the injured area. This plasma contains chemical mediators like pro-inflammatory cytokines which are secreted from immune cells (e.g., Th1 cells, CD4+ cells, macrophages) in order to promote inflammation.