Why does inflammation cause fever?
Fever is one of the common manifestations of inflammatory response, but many people do not know the specific relationship between inflammation and fever. This article will combine the hot topics and hot content on the Internet in the past 10 days, analyze the mechanism of inflammation leading to fever from a scientific perspective, and provide relevant data support.
1. The relationship between inflammation and fever
Inflammation is the body's defensive response to injury or infection, and fever is one of the important manifestations of the inflammatory response. When pathogens invade the human body or tissue is damaged, the immune system initiates a series of reactions and releases a variety of inflammatory mediators. These mediators act on the body temperature regulation center, causing the body temperature to rise.
2. The mechanism by which inflammation causes fever
1.release of inflammatory mediators: When the immune system detects pathogens or tissue damage, it releases inflammatory mediators such as interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF).
2.The role of the thermoregulatory center: These inflammatory mediators reach the temperature regulation center of the hypothalamus through blood circulation, promoting the synthesis of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), thereby raising the body temperature set point.
3.Physiological response to increased body temperature: After the body temperature set point is raised, the body will reduce heat loss through shivering, vasoconstriction, etc., and at the same time increase heat production, causing the body temperature to rise.
3. Hot topics related to inflammation and fever on the Internet in the past 10 days
| topic | heat index | Main discussion content |
|---|---|---|
| COVID-19 sequelae and long-term low-grade fever | 85 | Explore the inflammatory mechanism of persistent low-grade fever after COVID-19 infection |
| Causes of recurrent fever in children | 78 | Analyze the relationship between immune system development and inflammatory response in children |
| Autoimmune diseases and fever | 72 | Discuss inflammation-mediated fever in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis |
| The correct way to use antipyretics | 68 | Popular science on how to rationally use antipyretics by inhibiting inflammatory mediators |
4. Common causes of inflammatory fever
| Reason type | Proportion | typical diseases |
|---|---|---|
| infectious inflammation | 65% | Bacterial pneumonia, urinary tract infection, influenza |
| non-infectious inflammation | 25% | Rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus |
| traumatic inflammation | 10% | Fever and severe burns after surgery |
5. How to distinguish inflammatory fever from other types of fever
1.accompanying symptoms: Inflammatory fever is usually accompanied by typical inflammatory manifestations such as redness, swelling, and pain.
2.laboratory tests: Elevated white blood cell count and C-reactive protein (CRP) in blood routine are important indicators of inflammation.
3.Disease course characteristics: Inflammatory fevers often have clear triggers and respond well to anti-inflammatory treatment.
6. Principles of treatment of inflammatory fever
1.Cause treatment: Treat the primary disease causing inflammation, such as antibiotics to treat bacterial infections.
2.Symptomatic treatment: Use antipyretics appropriately to relieve symptoms, but do not cool down excessively.
3.supportive care: Ensure adequate fluid intake and rest to help the body recover.
7. Latest research progress on inflammatory fever
According to a recent study published in Nature Immunology, scientists discovered that a new inflammatory mediator, IL-33, plays a key role in specific types of inflammatory fever. This provides new targets for the development of more precise anti-inflammatory drugs.
Another study from Harvard Medical School suggests that imbalances in gut flora may lead to low-grade chronic inflammation, which can lead to unexplained, long-lasting low-grade fevers. This explains some cases of fever for which "no cause can be found".
8. Clarification of common misunderstandings
1.Fever must be harmful: In fact, moderate fever can help enhance immune function, but excessive fever reduction may prolong the course of the disease.
2.All fevers require antibiotics: Only inflammatory fevers caused by bacterial infections require antibiotics, and antibiotics are ineffective for viral fevers.
3.The higher the fever, the more severe the condition: The degree of fever is not necessarily directly proportional to the severity of the condition, and needs to be comprehensively judged in conjunction with other clinical manifestations.
It can be seen from the above analysis that fever caused by inflammation is an important defense mechanism of the body. Understanding how it occurs helps us respond to fever symptoms more scientifically and avoid unnecessary panic and incorrect treatment.
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