science

Systemic inflammation

Systemic inflammation is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Systemic inflammation rather than just read about it. In short: Systemic inflammation is the result of release of pro-inflammatory cytokines from immune-related cells and the activation of the innate immune system in response. It can contribute to the development or progression of certain conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, autoimmune and neurodegenerative disorders, and coronary heart d…

Key takeaways

Systemic inflammation belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Systemic inflammation to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Systemic inflammation from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Systemic inflammation is the result of release of pro-inflammatory cytokines from immune-related cells and the activation of the innate immune system in response. It can contribute to the development or progression of certain conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, autoimmune and neurodegenerative disorders, and coronary heart disease.

Mechanisms Release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and activation of the innate immune system may be the result of either external (biological or chemical agents) or internal (genetic mutations/variations) factors. The cytokine Interleukin 6 and C-reactive protein are common inflammatory markers used to diagnose systemic inflammation risk. Baseline C-reactive protein levels deviate due to natural genetic variation, but significant increases can result from risk factors such as smoking, obesity, lifestyle, and high blood pressure. Excess advanced glycation end-products attach to RAGE receptors to produce chronic inflammation. Chronic systemic inflammation increases with age (also known as inflammaging) due to unresolved acute inflammation and an individual's exposome. Age-related systemic chronic inflammation is associated with several cytokines including CXCL9, TRAIL, interferon gamma, CCL11, and CXCL1, and a proposed measurement of chronic systemic inflammation based on these cytokines (iAge) correlates with immunosenescence and predicts risk for cardiovascular disease, frailty syndrome, and multimorbidity. Damaged proteins and other cellular debris can provoke chronic inflammation in the innate immune system.

Comorbidities It is firmly established that systemic markers for inflammation predict coronary heart disease complications with or without existing heart disease. Inflammation also plays a role in diabetes risk and new research continues to support this conclusion. Cancer is often caused by chronic inflammation. Research suggests chronic systemic inflammation plays a major role in COVID-19 morbidity. In severe cases, COVID-19 causes a cytokine storm which contributes to excessive and uncontrolled inflammation of organs, particularly respiratory tissues. If untreated, this increased inflammation can result in reduced immune response, pneumonia, lymphoid tissue damage, and death. Individuals with abnormal cytokine production, such as those with obesity or chronic systemic inflammation, have poorer health outcomes from COVID-19. Elevated cytokine production alters the innate immune response which leads to abnormal T-cell and B-Cell function that decreases control of viral replication and host defense. Anti-viral therapeutic drugs which also reduce inflammation seem to be the most effective treatment, but research is still ongoing. Reactive oxygen species are upregulated during inflammation as part of the immune response to defend against pathogens. However, excessive inflammation causes dangerous levels of reactive oxygen species which cause oxidative stress to tissues. The immune system naturally produces antioxidant compounds to regulate and detoxify reactive oxygen species. Anti-oxidative therapy with supplements such as vitamin C, vitamin E, curcumin, or baicalin is speculated to reduce infection severity in COVID-19, but previous research has not found antioxidants supplementation to be effective in the prevention of other diseases. Shifting from the typical western diet to a Mediterranean diet or plant-based diet may improve COVID-19 health outcomes by reducing prevalence of comorbidities (i.e. obesity or hypertension), decreasing intake of pro-inflammatory foods, and increasing consumption of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutrients.

Research While systemic inflammation may be induced by multiple external factors, research suggests that a lack of control by tolerogenic dendritic cells and T-regulatory cells (Treg) is possibly the primary risk factor. In functioning immune responses, T-helper and T-cytotoxic cells are activated by presentation of antigens by antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Chief among these are dendritic cells (DCs). When a DC presents an antigen to a Treg cell, a signal is then sent to the nucleus of the DC, resulting in the production of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO). IDO inhibits T cell responses by depleting tryptophan and producing kynurenine, which is toxic to the cell. Individuals susceptible to developing chronic systemic inflammation appear to lack proper functioning of Treg cells and TDCs. In these individuals, a lack of control of inflammatory processes results in multiple chemical and food intolerances, and autoimmune diseases.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Systemic inflammation

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Systemic inflammation claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Systemic inflammation before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Systemic inflammation ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Systemic inflammation

In research: Systemic inflammation appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Systemic inflammation in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Systemic inflammation is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Inflammations, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Systemic inflammation outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Systemic inflammation in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Systemic inflammation means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Systemic inflammation out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Systemic inflammation in simple terms?

Why does Systemic inflammation matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Systemic inflammation?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Systemic inflammation.