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Catarrhal-respiratory syndrome.
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
Catarrhal-respiratory syndrome is characterized by inflammation of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract with hyperproduction of secretions and activation of local defense reactions.
When the mucous membrane above the vocal cords becomes inflamed, symptoms of rhinitis, pharyngitis, and tonsillitis occur; below the vocal cords, symptoms of laryngitis, tracheitis, epiglottitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia occur.
[ Causes of catarrhal-respiratory syndrome
Diseases accompanied by catarrhal-respiratory syndrome are classified as acute respiratory diseases (ARD). Most often, they are caused by viruses (ARVI), less often - bacteria. The causes of catarrhal-respiratory syndrome can be the action of allergenic (in vasomotor rhinitis, hay fever) and irritating substances (e.g. chlorine), a cold factor. Often, a combined effect of various factors is expressed (e.g. a cold factor and viruses. viruses and bacteria).
The main causative agents of acute respiratory infections are viruses that have a high affinity for certain parts of the respiratory tract.
Clinical forms of catarrhal-respiratory syndrome
- Acute rhinitis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity. Characteristic symptoms: sneezing, discharge of mucus from the nose, impaired nasal breathing. The outflow of mucus along the back wall of the pharynx causes coughing.
- Pharyngitis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the pharynx. It is characterized by sudden sensations of irritation and dryness in the throat, as well as pain when swallowing.
- Tonsillitis is a local change in the palatine tonsils of bacterial (usually streptococcal) and viral etiology. Characterized by intoxication, hyperemia and swelling of the tonsils, palatine arches, uvula, back wall of the pharynx, loose deposits in the lacunae.
- Laryngitis is an inflammation of the larynx involving the vocal cords and subglottic space. The first symptoms are a dry barking cough and hoarseness.
- Epiglottitis is an inflammation of the epiglottis with characteristic severe respiratory distress.
- Tracheitis is an inflammatory process of the mucous membrane of the trachea. Symptoms: soreness behind the breastbone, dry cough.
- Bronchitis is a lesion of the bronchi of any caliber. The main symptom is a cough (dry at the beginning of the disease, wet after a few days with an increasing amount of sputum). Sputum is often mucous in nature, but in the 2nd week it can acquire a greenish tint due to the admixture of fibrin. The cough persists for 2 weeks or longer (up to 1 month in diseases of adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, mycoplasma and chlamydial nature).
Diagnosis of catarrhal-respiratory syndrome
Laboratory diagnostic methods play a decisive role in confirming the diagnosis of diseases with catarrhal-respiratory syndrome, among which are:
- aimed at identifying the pathogen;
- aimed at identifying specific antibodies in the blood serum of patients.
The immunofluorescence method is the most preferable, as it allows for precise morphological analysis with high specificity. It is easy to reproduce and provides results within a few hours.
ELISA is widely used to detect specific antibodies in the blood serum of patients with viral or bacterial diseases.
What do need to examine?
How to examine?
Treatment of catarrhal respiratory syndrome
The diagnosis of ARI is established in the absence of a clear predominance of a certain nosological form. It implies both bacterial and viral nature of the disease. The term "ARVI" implies a viral etiology of the disease with the presence of catarrhal-respiratory syndrome.
The treatment strategy for catarrhal-respiratory syndrome is determined in accordance with the mechanisms of pathogenesis, etiology and common clinical manifestations of the disease.
For etiotropic treatment of ARVI, drugs of the adamantane series (rimantadine), drugs of the indole group [arbidol (methylphenylthiomethyl-dimethylaminomethyl-hydroxybromindole carboxylic acid ethyl ester)] and neuroaminidase inhibitors (oseltamivir) are used for influenza. Arbidol is prescribed for other ARVIs.