Overview
Clinical Meaning
Chronic inflammatory states encompass conditions where sustained immune activation drives multisystem damage.
Chronic inflammatory states encompass conditions where sustained immune activation drives multisystem damage. Autoimmune conditions (RA, SLE, IBD) involve loss of immune tolerance with autoreactive T-cells and autoantibodies attacking self-tissue. Metabolic inflammation (metainflammation) in obesity involves adipocyte hypertrophy triggering macrophage infiltration and cytokine release (TNF-α, IL-6, MCP-1). These conditions share common downstream effects: endothelial dysfunction, insulin resistance, accelerated atherosclerosis, and increased thrombotic risk. The NP must manage both the primary inflammatory condition and its systemic cardiovascular and metabolic consequences.