[The metabolism of eicosanoids, glucocorticoids and cyclic nucleotides in young people with acute pneumonia].

An investigation into the pathogenesis of acute pneumonia in 37 young men made it possible to ascertain the role of arachidonic acid metabolites and hormonal regulation in the pathogenesis of the inflammatory reaction in acute bacterial pneumonia. At the initial stage of inflammation, invasion of the infectious agent leads to phagocytosis activation, stimulates the output of immunoglobulins belonging to different classes, which, binding antigens, form immune complexes influencing the output of biologically active substances. This is accompanied by the destruction of pulmonary tissue, release of lipid peroxidation radicals and proteinases, by the enhancement of arachidonic acid degradation under the destructive action on the membranes of phospholipase A2 cells to form prostaglandins participating in the changes in the tone of bronchi, pulmonary vessels and affecting blood coagulation.