Inflammation of the pleura is an inflammation of the pleura. The pleura lines the chest from the inside and covers the lungs. Inflammation of the pleura often manifests itself as severe pain on the affected side, which is usually respiratory.
Inflammation of the pleura can be a sign of an underlying disease and can severely impair the general condition. In most cases, however, the exact cause is unclear, as invasive diagnostics are not necessary in harmless cases. Inflammation of the pleura is classified according to various criteria.
Acute onset pleurisy is distinguished from chronic pleurisy. Furthermore, it is divided into different degrees of severity, ranging from a mild to a very severe form. Furthermore, pleurisy can be divided into an infectious and a non-infectious form according to its cause.
In the infectious forms, viruses, bacteria or fungi are the cause of the inflammation. The non-infectious form is caused by pre-existing illnesses, such as a pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, pancreatitis or a tumor of the pleura (pleural carcinosis). Inflammation of the pleura is further divided into a dry form (pleuritis sicca) and a wet form (pleuritis exsudativa). However, since even the dry form can often be accompanied by a minor pleural effusion, the classification cannot be as strict.
Causes
Inflammation of the pleura is usually a side effect or consequence of an illness or injury. The most common underlying diseases that can cause pleurisy include pneumonia or an acute infection of the respiratory tract in the bronchial region. Here the mostly bacterial pathogens spread from the lungs to the surrounding pleura.
However, the inflammation of neighboring organs, such as the kidneys, can also be responsible for pleurisy as a microbial scatter source. Especially at an advanced age, lung cancer or a tumor of the pleura is a potential cause of pleurisy. Diseases of the cardiovascular system, such as pulmonary embolism, can promote the development of pleurisy.
In this case, a blood clot infiltrated from the body’s circulatory system obstructs the pulmonary circulation. The reduced blood flow in this area creates an ideal breeding ground for inflammation. Tuberculosis, which is somewhat less common in our latitudes and primarily affects the lungs, can lead to the sowing of the bacterium in our body’s circulation about one year after the initial infection with the pathogen.
The consequence is the infestation of other organs, including the risk of pleurisy. A number of autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus, in which the body’s own cells are falsely attacked and destroyed by the defense system, can trigger an inflammatory process at the pleura. More rarely, pleurisy is caused by viruses. A well-known representative that can lead to pleurisy is the so-called Coxsackie virus, the pathogen that causes Bornholm disease. In rare cases also the “Morbus Still“, a rheumatic illness, can be the cause.
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