SBA — Single Best Answer · Review
Question 427
Pathology → General
Classification
Question
SSBAQuestion Header
A woman with longstanding chronic inflammatory disease develops persistent fever. Which mediator pathway most directly explains the inflammatory pyrexia?
Question Stem
Select the single best answer.
Options
A
CRP acting directly on the hypothalamus
B
Histamine causing sustained hypothalamic vasoconstriction
C
IgG activating the fibrinolytic system
D
TNF and interleukins acting through prostaglandins
E
Bradykinin suppressing prostaglandin synthesis
Explanation
Inflammatory pyrexia is mediated by cytokines including TNF and interleukins acting through prostaglandins. CRP rises as part of the hepatic acute-phase response but is not itself the cause of fever.
Option Validity
A) CRP is an acute-phase reactant and does not directly cause the inflammatory pyrexia described.
C) Increased IgG may accompany chronic inflammation but is not the principal pyrogenic pathway.
B) Histamine is an inflammatory mediator but is not the principal mechanism of inflammatory fever described here.
E) Bradykinin is associated particularly with vascular effects and pain rather than suppression of prostaglandin-mediated pyrexia.
Further Reading
Saxena R. Textbook for MRCOG-1. Chapter 5: Pathology. General Pathology, pp.161–175.