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What causes red fever? Uncover the biological mechanism behind it!
Red fever, also known as Mitchell's disease, is a rare peripheral vascular pain disorder. The disease primarily affects the extremities, especially the hands and feet, and patients often experience temporary blockage of blood vessels, which then become congested and inflamed. As its most notable feature, patients will experience intense burning pain and redness and swelling of the skin. The attacks are recurrent and are usually triggered by heat, pressure, light activity, sleeplessness, or stress.
"Attacks of red fever are caused by irritation of small fiber nerves, which often causes sufferers to face excruciating pain."
Red fever can be divided into two types: primary and secondary. Primary red fever is caused by mutations in the SCN9A gene, which encodes the sodium channel NaV1.7, and studies have shown that these mutations increase the excitability of neurons. Secondary erythrodysesthesia is associated with other diseases, such as small fiber peripheral neuropathy, polycythemia vera, and autoimmune diseases.
In 2004, scientists first identified a link between SCN9A gene mutations and chronic neuropathic pain, making red fever the first confirmed disease associated with ion channel mutations in research.
"Over time, more and more mutations have been linked to red fever, improving our understanding of the disease."
Disease classification and epidemic characteristics
Primary red fever can be divided into familial and sporadic forms, of which the familial form is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. In rural southern China, epidemics of red fever often occur in winter and spring, mainly affecting middle school students, especially girls. These patients often have symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection, such as a cough or sore throat, before an attack.
Symptoms and Triggers
The main symptoms of red fever include fiery red skin, swelling, deep pain and tenderness, often symmetrically on all four extremities, usually affecting the lower extremities more. These attacks not only affect the feet, but the ears and face are sometimes involved. Depending on the patient, the attacks can last from one hour to several months and often occur at night, causing insomnia.
Studies show that common triggers include exercise, environmental heat, alcohol and caffeine intake, and even mild stress. During an attack, patients often avoid wearing shoes to reduce heat to the affected limbs. If a strong heat source is present in a social situation, a red fever attack may also be triggered.
The causes and pathological mechanisms of red fever
As for the causes of red fever, scientists have found that neuropathology and microvascular changes are the main causes. Primary erythrodysesthesia is caused by overexcitation of C fibers, the neurons responsible for transmitting pain signals. At the same time, changes in the microvasculature are due to changes in the sympathetic nervous system's response to stimulation, which reduces the patient's skin's blood supply and causes redness and swelling.
"Whether primary or secondary, the pathogenesis of red fever is not fully understood, but the role of genetic mutations is becoming increasingly clear."
Diagnosis and treatment
Diagnosing red fever is difficult because there is no specific test. It is usually necessary to raise the legs to observe changes in skin color as an auxiliary diagnosis. For treatment, the primary approach to secondary red fever is to treat the underlying disease, while primary red fever relies more on supportive treatment, such as improving the environment and avoiding known triggers.
For now, patients may find cooling the skin provides some relief, but care must be taken to avoid applying ice directly to the skin. Depending on your symptoms, your doctor may prescribe medications, such as flunarizine or amitriptyline, to help relieve your pain.
Quality of life and future research
Because the symptoms of red fever seriously affect the quality of life of patients, many patients often face problems such as loss of work ability, lack of exercise and depression. For medical practitioners, a better understanding of this rare disease will be crucial to improving the quality of life of patients. Although research on gene mutations continues, there is still a lack of supporting research in real life.
As we pursue new treatments, we can't help but ask, how can we create a better living environment for red fever patients so that they can still maintain hope in the face of difficulties?
