ACUTE JOINT INFLAMMATION - MECHANISMS AND MEDIATORS

1. This review discusses factors contributing to acute joint inflammat ion, particularly sensory neuropeptides. 2. Mediators known to contrib ute importantly to the inflammatory process include cytokines, eicosan oids, complement and the kinin systems, histamine and 5-hydroxytryptam ine and sensory neuropeptides substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-rel ated peptide (CGRP). 3. The pro-inflammatory neurokinins, SP and CGRP, are present in nerves innervating joints and could significantly cont ribute to the increased vascular permeability and hyperaemia occurring in acute arthritis. 4. Although perhaps contributing to the pathogene sis of chronic inflammatory joint disease, there is little evidence fo r involvement of the sympathetic nervous system in acute models of inf lammation