[The acute inflammatory response. Mechanisms and therapeutic possibilities]

The paper reviews the events and mechanisms of the inflammatory response and the possibilities of modulation. The functions of several important inflammatory mediators and possible therapy related to these are summarized. The paper further describes the major events of the inflammatory response, primary and secondary mediators, the cellular origin of the mediators and possible regulatory mechanisms of the inflammatory response. The causes of inflammatory dysregulation are not clear in most cases and control of the inflammatory response will be improved, when the timing of and the relations between the mediators are clarified. Management of the dysregulated or autonomous inflammatory response may go beyond inhibition of mediators and include active support of depleted mediators. Interventions should start early in the acute process and be multimodal. Treatment of pain related to inflammatory conditions may be improved by more specific interventions at the level of the nociceptors.