Corticosteroids Are Anti-Inflammatory Drugs That Are Used to Treat Individuals

question 5

Multiple Choice

Corticosteroids are anti-inflammatory drugs that are used to treat individuals with allergies, asthma, autoimmune diseases, or organ transplants. These compounds have a wide range of effects on leukocytes and on inflammatory cytokine production. One common use for corticosteroids is as an inhaled treatment for individuals with asthma. Interestingly, inhaled corticosteroids provide significant benefit to asthma patients with high numbers of eosinophils in their airways, but not to those patients with high numbers of neutrophils, but normal numbers of eosinophils. One reason for this finding may be that:

• A) Corticosteroids don't inhibit IL-13 production in the airways
• B) Corticosteroids don't inhibit release of IL-33 by airway epithelial cells
• C) Corticosteroids induce apoptosis of T_reg cells
• D) Corticosteroids induce apoptosis of eosinophils
• E) Corticosteroids don't work well as combination therapy with other immunosuppressants

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Definitions:

Defensive Medicine

Practice by healthcare providers who order tests, procedures, or visits, or avoid certain high-risk patients or procedures, primarily to reduce litigation risk, rather than to further the patient's health.

Moral Hazard

A scenario in which an individual engages in risky behavior, knowing they won't have to fully deal with the outcomes of their actions.

Principal-Agent Problem

A dilemma in economics and organizational theory where one party (the agent) is expected to act in the best interest of another (the principal) but may have different goals or information asymmetry.

Preventive Medicine

Medical practices aimed at preventing diseases or conditions rather than curing them, including vaccinations, lifestyle advice, and regular screenings.