We have looked at the relationship between anemia and COPD, anorexia and COPD, and arthritis and COPD.  In each case we found a relationship between the two conditions to be based on inflammation along with other factors.  I have been fortunate enough to be involved with the department of defense as a patient consultant.  We looked at research proposals that had to do with lung disease.  I will tell you that the majority of the proposals centered around inflammation and sepsis. 

I decided to brave it again and consult Google Scholar for a good definition of inflammation.  The following is what I found.  In “The Open Inflammation Journal.”  Stankov (2012) suggested that we alter our definition of inflammation.  The definition of inflammation as the body’s reaction to injury, infection, and irritation as a nonspecific immune response which entails redness, fever, and swelling at the site may not be adequate.  He suggests that when inflammation occurs at the site of an injury and then does not reverse, but continues to respond is a direct result of the imbalance between the two phases of metabolism.

Wait, where have we heard that before?  I believe if we look back on our discussion of anorexia we will find the imbalance between catabolism and anabolism to be a possible cause.  Remember that anabolism is the building up phase and catabolism is the tearing down phase.  He uses this graphic to illustrate the balance

 ANABOLISM Monomers and lower Mwt substances + energy <===> polymers and higher Mwt Substances + water CATABOLISM

Molecular weight(mwt) Using this illustration we can see where obesity falls into the scheme of inflammation.  It is an imbalance in which anabolism is occurring faster than catabolism.  In reverse, the wasting syndrome is taking place.  So now to determine the chicken and the egg puzzle.  I will not pretend to be able to make an assumption on this topic.

Stankov was not the only person who has come to this conclusion.  If you would like a list of references I will be happy to supply them.

The pain associated with inflammation is due to the increase of fluid which includes blood cells and plasma (swelling).  The swelling pushes against nerves in the area causing pain. Though we do not usually view pain as a friend, it does alert us that something is going wrong. As you learn from educational material within the COPDfoundation website, the lungs do not have pain receptors, so we are not made aware of lung problems through pain.