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Background: Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a significant cause of respiratory infections in children, often leading to severe pneumonia. This study aimed to assess the clinical relevance of interferon-gamma (interferon-γ), D-dimer, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and C-reactive protein (CRP) as biomarkers in the severity of mycoplasma pneumonia in pediatric patients., Methods: In this prospective study, 203 pediatric patients with mycoplasma pneumonia were classified into mild (123 patients) and severe (80 patients) groups. Biomarkers including interferon-γ, D-dimer, LDH, and CRP were measured and analyzed. Statistical methods employed included Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses, logistic regression, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis., Results: The severe group exhibited significantly higher median and interquartile ranges for interferon-γ, D-dimer, LDH, and CRP compared to the mild group. Logistic regression identified IL-10, IL-6, interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, D-dimer, and LDH as independent predictors of severity, with the model achieving 92% accuracy. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed optimal diagnostic efficacy for interferon-γ, D-dimer, and LDH, with the best threshold values being 8.11, 0.64, and 379, respectively. A significant positive correlation was observed between IL-6 and LDH, as well as between interferon-γ and D-dimer., Conclusion: This study showed that interferon-γ >8.11, D-dimer >0.64, and LDH >379 have an important role in the assessment of severe mycoplasma pneumonia., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding and conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the critical need for precise diagnostic methods to distinguish between similar respiratory infections, such as COVID-19 and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP). Identifying key biomarkers and utilizing machine learning techniques, such as random forest analysis, can significantly improve diagnostic accuracy. We conducted a retrospective analysis of clinical and laboratory data from 214 patients with acute respiratory infections, collected between October 2022 and October 2023 at the Second Hospital of Nanping. The study population was categorized into three groups: COVID-19 positive (n = 52), MP positive (n = 140), and co-infected (n = 22). Key biomarkers, including C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), interleukin- 6 (IL-6), and white blood cell (WBC) counts, were evaluated. Correlation analyses were conducted to assess relationships between biomarkers within each group. The random forest analysis was applied to evaluate the discriminative power of these biomarkers. The random forest model demonstrated high classification performance, with area under the ROC curve (AUC) scores of 0.86 (95% CI: 0.70-0.97) for COVID-19, 0.79 (95% CI: 0.64-0.92) for MP, 0.69 (95% CI: 0.50-0.87) for co-infections, and 0.90 (95% CI: 0.83-0.95) for the micro-average ROC. Additionally, the precision-recall curve for the random forest classifier showed a micro-average AUC of 0.80 (95% CI: 0.69-0.91). Confusion matrices highlighted the model's accuracy (0.77) and biomarker relationships. The SHAP feature importance analysis indicated that age (0.27), CRP (0.25), IL6 (0.14), and PCT (0.14) were the most significant predictors. The integration of computational methods, particularly random forest analysis, in evaluating clinical and biomarker data presents a promising approach for enhancing diagnostic processes for infectious diseases. Our findings support the use of specific biomarkers in differentiating between COVID-19 and MP, potentially leading to more targeted and effective diagnostic strategies. This study underscores the potential of machine learning techniques in improving disease classification in the era of precision medicine., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) is responsible for 20 to 40% of all cases of pneumonia acquired by children and shows an increasing incidence year by year. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of miR-34a in children with MPP and its diagnostic value, and further explore the relationship between miR-34a and the rehabilitation effect of children with MPP., Methods: The expression level of miR-34a was detected by RT-qPCR, and the clinical value of miR-34a was analyzed by ROC analysis. In addition, the levels of IL-6, IL-18 and TNF-α in serum of children with MPP were detected by ELISA kit, and the correlation with miR-34a was analyzed., Results: Elevated levels of miR-34a were observed in the serum of children with MPP, and significantly higher expression levels were observed in children with severe symptoms and poor rehabilitation. The study suggested that miR-34a has potential as a diagnostic marker for MPP in children, helping to distinguish between mild and severe cases and predicting rehabilitation from MPP in children. In addition, miR-34a expression was positively correlated with IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α levels., Conclusions: miR-34a is closely related to MPP in children and miR-34a may be used as a clinical biomarker for MPP in children., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Blood routine testing was the most commonly used laboratory method in clinical practice. The results are often influenced by factors such as instruments, reagents, and samples, among which, the interference of cold agglutinin is a very rare element. In our article, we reported a case of red blood cell agglutination caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection., Methods: The number of blood cells were detected by blood routine analyzer with or without treatment at 37℃ water bath. The red blood cell agglutination was observed through blood smear staining. The cold agglutination test were performed using O-type red blood cells added into patient's plasma and refrigerated overnight at 4℃. We also used luminescent immunoassay technology to detect the content of MP antibodies in patient's serum., Results: The patient's results were RBC (2.69 x 1012/L), MCH (48.5 pg), MCHC (522 g/L). Through a microscope, we observed red blood cell agglutination. The concentration of MP-igM was 60.37 AU/mL. The cold agglutination test was positive. Following a 37℃ water bath, the patient's results changed: RBC (3.85 x 1012/L), MCH (31.2 pg), MCHC (352 g/L). The phenomenon of massive agglutination of red blood cells has also disappeared., Conclusions: The cold agglutinin produced by MP infection can alter the results of red blood cell. During the epidemic period of MP infection, it is important to pay attention to the phenomenon of abnormal elevation of MCHC in clinical practice.

Introduction. Recently, the incidence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae ( M. pneumoniae ) infection in children has been increasing annually. Early differential diagnosis of M. pneumoniae infection can not only avoid the abuse of antibiotics, but also is essential for early treatment and reduction of transmission. Gap statement. The change of routine blood parameters may have important clinical significance for the diagnosis of M. pneumoniae infection, but it has not been reported so far. Aim. This study aims to establish a predictive model for M. pneumoniae infection and explore the changes and clinical value of routine blood parameters in children with M. pneumoniae infection, serving as auxiliary indicators for the diagnosis and differentiation of clinical M. pneumoniae infection. Methodology. A total of 770 paediatric patients with respiratory tract infections were enrolled in this study, including 360 in the M. pneumoniae group, 40 in the SARS-CoV-2 group, 200 in the influenza A virus group, and 170 in the control group. The differences of routine blood parameters among all groups were compared, and risk factors were analysed using multivariate logistics analysis, and the diagnostic efficacy of differential indicators using ROC curves. Results. This study revealed that Mono% (OR: 3.411; 95% CI: 1.638-7.102; P =0.001) was independent risk factor associated with M. pneumoniae infection, and Mono% (AUC=0.786, the optimal cutoff at 7.8%) had a good discriminative ability between patients with M. pneumoniae infection and healthy individuals. Additionally, Mono% (OR: 0.424; 95% CI: 0.231-0.781; P =0.006) and Lymp% (OR: 0.430; 95% CI: 0.246-0.753; P =0.003) were independent risk factors for distinguishing M. pneumoniae infection from influenza A virus infection, and the Lymp% (AUC=0.786, the optimal cutoff at 22.1%) and Net% (AUC=0.761, the optimal cutoff at 65.2%) had good discriminative abilities between M. pneumoniae infection and influenza A infection. Furthermore, platelet distribution width (OR: 0.680; 95% CI: 0.538-0.858; P =0.001) was independent risk factor for distinguishing M. pneumoniae infection from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Meanwhile, the ROC curve demonstrated that PDW (AUC=0.786, the optimal cutoff at 15%) has a good ability to differentiate between M. pneumoniae infection and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Conclusion. This study demonstrates that routine blood parameters can be used as auxiliary diagnostic indicators for M. pneumoniae infection and provide reference for the diagnosis and differentiation of clinical M. pneumoniae infection.

To determine the clinical indicators predictive of refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (RMPP) in children and develop a robust predictive model to aid in early identification and management. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 338 children diagnosed with RMPP out of a total of 1500 cases of Mycoplasma pneumoniae at a single tertiary hospital from May 2021 to November 2023. Clinical and demographic data analyzed included age, gender, parents' educational level, household income, body mass index, allergic constitution, and laboratory findings such as white blood cell count, neutrophil and lymphocyte counts, platelet count, and levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer, and procalcitonin. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify significant predictors of RMPP, and a predictive model was developed. Among the RMPP cohort, 52.4% were female, with a mean age of 6.07 ± 2.78 years. Multivariate analysis identified several significant predictors of poor prognosis, including higher body mass index, longer duration of fever, elevated white blood cell count, neutrophil count, C-reactive protein levels, and increased neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and platelet to lymphocyte ratio. The model demonstrated outstanding diagnostic performance, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.963 (95% confidence interval: 0.946-0.981). Our study identifies key clinical indicators with significant diagnostic accuracy for predicting RMPP in children. The predictive model established offers a valuable tool for clinicians, potentially improving RMPP outcomes through timely intervention., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding and conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: Host-response biomarkers to differentiate bacterial from viral etiology in children with respiratory infections have shown high accuracies, but are understudied in Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp) infections., Methods: We compared BV scores (0-34 indicating viral etiology, and 66-100 indicating bacterial etiology), tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL; pg/mL), interferon-γ inducible protein 10 (IP-10; pg/mL), and C-reactive protein (CRP; mg/L) serum levels between Mp-positive (Mp+) and Mp-negative (Mp-) community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients. We performed receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses for clinical features and biomarkers., Results: Of 80 CAP patients (median age, 6.3 years; 57.5% male), 26 had Mp+CAP. In Mp+CAP patients, compared to Mp-CAP patients, BV scores were lower (14.0 [3.0-27.8] vs 54.0 [12.0-84.8]; P = .0008), TRAIL levels were higher (86.5 [67.4-123.0] vs 65.5 [42.5-103.9]; P = .025), CRP levels were lower (12.9 [4.0-22.3] vs 36.7 [13.0-132.8]; P = .0019), and IP-10 levels were comparable (366.0 [150.2-603.8] vs 331.0 [154.3-878.8]; P = .73) (all median [interquartile range]). ROC analyses yielded a comparable discriminatory accuracy for the combination of age, fever duration, and duration of respiratory symptoms, with either procalcitonin or BV score (area under the ROC curve, 0.87 vs 0.86; P = .94)., Conclusions: Children with Mp+CAP have atypically low, viral levels of the BV score, underscoring the complementary role of microbiological testing., Competing Interests: Potential conflicts of interest . All authors: No reported conflicts. All authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Conflicts that the editors consider relevant to the content of the manuscript have been disclosed., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America.)

Background: This study investigated clinical and laboratory characteristics of human bocavirus type 1 (HBoV1)-plastic bronchiolitis (PB), Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP)-associated plastic bronchitis (PB) and MP-NPB in children, highlighting inflammation, coagulation, and bronchoscopic needs., Methods: Data on preschool children with PB during HBoV1 or MP infection were collected, comparing MP-PB to severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia., Result: Compared with the MP-PB group, the HBoV1-PB group, with younger children, had significantly milder clinical symptoms but higher WBC counts (p = .028). The MP-PB group exhibited notably elevated Fibrinogen (p = .045) and d-dimer levels (p < .001). When contrasting the MP-PB with the MP-NPB group, children in MP-PB group still had higher levels of d-dimer and increased inflammatory indicators such as C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, lactate dehydrogenase, and interleukin-6, which were significantly elevated compared with the MP-NPB group. MP-PB showed a higher prevalence of plastic bronchial casts in lower lobes (p = .016) and a dominance of neutrophils in BALF cytology. Additionally, children in the MP-PB group tended to undergo a greater number of bronchoscopies., Conclusion: This study identifies key differences in plastic bronchitis in children due to HBoV1 and MP, highlighting HBoV1's milder inflammation in younger kids and MP's link to severe inflammatory and coagulation responses, guiding clinical diagnosis and treatment., (© 2024 The Author(s). Immunity, Inflammation and Disease published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objectives: Influenza and Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections often present concurrent and overlapping symptoms in clinical manifestations, making it crucial to accurately differentiate between the two in clinical practice. Therefore, this study aims to explore the potential of using peripheral blood routine parameters to effectively distinguish between influenza and Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections., Methods: This study selected 209 influenza patients (IV group) and 214 Mycoplasma pneumoniae patients (MP group) from September 2023 to January 2024 at Nansha Division, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. We conducted a routine blood-related index test on all research subjects to develop a diagnostic model. For normally distributed parameters, we used the T-test, and for non-normally distributed parameters, we used the Wilcoxon test., Results: Based on an area under the curve (AUC) threshold of ≥ 0.7, we selected indices such as Lym# (lymphocyte count), Eos# (eosinophil percentage), Mon% (monocyte percentage), PLT (platelet count), HFC# (high fluorescent cell count), and PLR (platelet to lymphocyte ratio) to construct the model. Based on these indicators, we constructed a diagnostic algorithm named IV@MP using the random forest method., Conclusions: The diagnostic algorithm demonstrated excellent diagnostic performance and was validated in a new population, with an AUC of 0.845. In addition, we developed a web tool to facilitate the diagnosis of influenza and Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections. The results of this study provide an effective tool for clinical practice, enabling physicians to accurately diagnose and differentiate between influenza and Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection, thereby offering patients more precise treatment plans., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The prevalence and severity of pediatric Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) poses a significant threat to the health and lives of children. In this study, we aim to systematically evaluate the value of routine blood parameters in predicting MPP and develop a robust and generalizable ensemble artificial intelligence (AI) model to assist in identifying patients with MPP., Methods: We collected 27 features, including routine blood parameters and hs-CRP levels, from patients admitted to The Affiliated Dazu's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University with or without MPP between January, 2023 and January, 2024. A classification model was built using seven machine learning (ML) algorithms to develop an integrated prediction tool for diagnosing MPP. It was evaluated on both an internal validation set (982 individuals) and an external validation set (195 individuals). The primary outcome measured the accuracy of the model in predicting MPP., Results: The GBDT is state-of-the-art based on 27 features. Following inter-laboratory cohort testing, the GBDT demonstrated an AUC, accuracy, specificity, sensitivity, PPV, NPV, and F1-score of 0.980 (0.938-0.995), 0.928 (0.796-0.970), 0.929 (0.717-1.000), 0.926 (0.889-0.956), 0.922 (0.727-1.000), 0.937 (0.884-0.963), and 0.923 (0.800-0.966) in stratified 10-fold cross-validation. A GBDT-based AI Lab was developed to facilitate the healthcare providers in remote and impoverished areas., Conclusions: The GBDT-based AI Lab tool, with high sensitivity and specificity, could help discriminate between pediatric MPP infection and non-MPP infection based on routine blood parameters. Moreover, a user-friendly webpage tool for AI Lab could facilitate healthcare providers in remote and impoverished areas where advanced technologies are not accessible., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: To investigate the role of calprotectin S100 A8/A9 complex in evaluating the condition of children with severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (SMPP)., Methods: A prospective study was conducted among 136 children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) and 30 healthy controls. According to the severity of the condition, the children with MPP were divided into mild subgroup (40 children) and SMPP subgroup (96 children). The levels of S100 A8/A9 complex and related inflammatory factors were compared between the MPP group and the healthy control group, as well as between the two subgroups of MPP. The role of S100 A8/A9 in assessing the severity of MPP was explored., Results: The MPP group had a significantly higher level of S100 A8/A9 than the healthy control group, with a significantly greater increase in the SMPP subgroup ( P <0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the increases in serum C reactive protein (CRP) and S100A8/A9 were closely associated with SMPP ( P <0.05). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the combined measurement of serum S100 A8/A9 and CRP had an area under the ROC curve of 0.904 in predicting SMPP, which was significantly higher than the AUC of S100 A8/A9 or CRP alone ( P <0.05), with a specificity of 0.718 and a sensitivity of 0.952., Conclusions: S100 A8/A9 is closely associated with the severity of MPP, and the combination of S100 A8/A9 with CRP is more advantageous for assessing the severity of MPP in children.

Background: This study explored the relationship between inflammatory markers and glucocorticoid dosage upon admission., Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 206 patients with refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (RMPP) admitted to a Children's Hospital from November 2017 to January 2022. Patients were categorized into three groups based on their methylprednisolone dosage: low-dose (≤ 2 mg/kg/d), medium-dose (2-10 mg/kg/d), and high-dose (≥ 10 mg/kg/d). We compared demographic data, clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, and radiological outcomes. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used to assess relationships between variables., Results: The median age was highest in the low-dose group at 7 years, compared to 5.5 years in the medium-dose group and 6 years in the high-dose group (P < 0.001). The body mass index (BMI) was also highest in the low-dose group at 16.12, followed by 14.86 in the medium-dose group and 14.58 in the high-dose group (P < 0.001). More severe radiographic findings, longer hospital stays, and greater incidence of hypoxia were noted in the high-dose group (P < 0.05). Additionally, significant increases in white blood cells, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, ferritin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and D-dimer levels were observed in the high-dose group (P < 0.05). Specifically, LDH and ferritin were markedly higher in the high-dose group, with levels at 660.5 U/L and 475.05 ng/mL, respectively, compared to 450 U/L and 151.4 ng/mL in the medium-dose group, and 316.5 U/L and 120.5 ng/mL in the low-dose group. Correlation analysis indicated that LDH and ferritin levels were significantly and positively correlated with glucocorticoid dose (Spearman ρ = 0.672 and ρ = 0.654, respectively; P < 0.001)., Conclusions: Serum LDH and ferritin levels may be useful biomarkers for determining the appropriate corticosteroid dosage in treating children with RMPP., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Neurospecific Enolase (NSE), a multifunctional protein, is present in various tissues of the body and plays an important role in many disease processes, such as infection, inflammation, tumours, injury, and immunity. In recent years, the application of NSE in respiratory diseases has become increasingly widespread and a research hotspot., Objective: This study aims to explore the relationship between NSE and childhood pneumonia, providing assistance for the diagnosis and assessment of pneumonia., Methods: Using prospective research and case-control methods, We selected 129 children with pneumonia hospitalised in Weifang People's Hospital from September 2020 to April 2022 as the case group. Among them were 67 cases of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MP+), 62 cases of non-Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MP -), and 21 cases of severe pneumonia. At the same time, 136 children who underwent outpatient health examinations were selected as the control group. The levels of NSE, ESR, CRP in cases group and NSE in control group were measured separately., Result: The NSE levels in the MP + group were 17.86 (14.29-22.54) ng/mL, while those in the MP- group were 17.89 (14.10-21.66) ng/mL, both of which were higher than the control group's NSE levels of 13.26(12.18,14.44) ng/mL (H = 46.92, P = 0.000). There was no statistically significant difference in NSE levels between the MP + and MP - groups (P > 0.05). The NSE level in the severe pneumonia group was 27.38 (13.95-34.06) ng/mL, higher than that in the mild pneumonia group, which was 17.68 (14.27-21.04) ng/mL, (P = 0.024). The AUC values for diagnosing pneumonia are NSE0.714, CRP0.539, and ESR0.535, with NSE having the highest diagnostic value., Conclusion: Serum NSE can serve as an inflammatory indicator for paediatric pneumonia, which has important clinical guidance significance for the diagnosis, condition evaluation, and prognosis of paediatric pneumonia., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This study aimed to investigate the expression and significance of serum procalcitonin (PCT), leukotriene B4 (LTB4), Serum amyloid A (SAA), and C-reactive protein (CRP) in children with different types of pneumonia caused by different pathogenic infections. One hundred and one children with pneumonia admitted to The Fifth People Hospital of Zhuhai from July 2019 to June 2020 were enrolled and divided into 38 cases in the bacterial group, 30 cases in the mycoplasma group, and 33 cases in the virus group according to the different types of pathogens. The patients were divided into 42 cases in the noncritical group, 33 cases in the critical group, and 26 cases in the very critical group according to the pediatric clinical illness score (PCIS), and 30 healthy children were selected as the control group during the same period. Comparison of serum PCT, SAA: bacterial group > mycoplasma group > viral group > control group with significant differences (P < .05). Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that the area under the curves (AUCs) of serum PCT, LTB4, SAA, and CRP for the diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia were 1.000, 0.531, 0.969, and 0.833, respectively, and the AUCs for the diagnosis of mycoplasma pneumonia were 0.653, 0.609, 0.547, and 0.652, respectively, and the AUCs for the diagnosis of viral pneumonia were 0.888, 0.570, 0.955, and 1.000, respectively. Comparison of serum PCT, LTB4, SAA: very critical group > critical group > noncritical group > control group, with significant differences (P < .05). Serum PCT, LTB4, and SAA were negatively correlated with PCIS score by Pearson analysis (P < .05). Serum PCT and SAA showed diagnostic value for bacterial pneumonia, and serum SAA and CRP showed diagnostic value for viral pneumonia; serum PCT, LTB4, and SAA correlate with severity of disease and show higher expression with worsening of the condition., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding and conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Mycoplasma pneumoniae necrotizing pneumonia (MPNP) has a long and severe disease course, which seriously threatens to jeopardize patients' lives and health. Early prediction is essential for good recovery and prognosis. In the present study, we retrospect 128 children with MPNP and 118 children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia combined with pulmonary consolidation to explore the predictive value of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in children with MPNP by propensity score matching method, multiple logistic regression analysis, dose-response analysis and decision curve analysis. The WBC count, PLT count and percentage of neutrophils were significantly higher in necrosis group than consolidation group. The serum CRP, PCT, ESR, D-D, FIB, ALT, LDH, IgG and IgM were significantly higher in necrosis group. Compared to consolidation group, necrosis group is more severe in chest pain and dyspnea. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that duration of LDH levels, high fever, D-dimer, and fibrinogen were independent predictive factors for the incidence of MPNP. Restricted cubic spline analysis showed that a non-linear dose-response relationship between the continuous changes of LDH level and the incidence of MPNP. Decision curve analysis revealed that LDH had an important clinical value in predicting MPNP. This study provides a potential serologic indicator for early diagnosis of MPNP., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: Early diagnosis of Severity Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Pneumonia (SMPP) has been a worldwide concern in clinical practice. Two cytokines, soluble Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid cells (sTREM-1) and Interferon-Inducible Protein-10 (IP-10), were proved to be implicated in bacterial infection diseases. However, the diagnostic value of sTREM-1 and IP-10 in MPP was poorly known. This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of sTREM-1 and IP-10 for SMPP., Methods: In this prospective study, the authors enrolled 44 children with MPP, along with their clinical information. Blood samples were collected, and cytokine levels of sTREM-1 and IP-10 were detected with ELISA assay., Results: Serum levels of sTREM-1 and IP-10 were positively correlated with the severity of MPP. In addition, sTREM-1 and IP-10 have significant potential in the diagnosis of SMPP with an Area Under Curve (AUC) of 0.8564 (p-value = 0.0001, 95% CI 0.7461 to 0.9668) and 0.8086 (p-value = 0.0002, 95% CI 0.6918 to 0.9254) respectively. Notably, the combined diagnostic value of sTREM-1 and IP-10 is up to 0.911 in children with SMPP (p-value < 0.001, 95% CI 0.830 to 0.993)., Conclusions: Serum cytokine levels of sTREM-1 and IP-10 have a great potential diagnostic value in children with SMPP., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 HCFMUSP. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

To explore the clinical characteristics and changes in serum CXCL10 and CXCL16 in patients with severe mycoplasma pneumonia, and to analyze the risk factors of severe mycoplasma pneumonia. About 258 children with acute mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) admitted to the respiratory department of a certain hospital from January 2020 to December 2022 were selected as the study subjects. According to the severity of MPP, patients are divided into 2 groups, namely the mild illness group (Q group) and the severe illness group (Z group). The number of cases in these 2 groups of children is 167 and 91, respectively. The serum CXCL10, CXCL16, and other indicators of 2 groups are tested. Compared to group Q, patients in group Z have a higher proportion of extrapulmonary complications, longer cough time, longer shortness of breath, and longer wheezing time (P < .05). The serum CXCL16 is higher and the proportion of pleural effusion is higher (P < .01). There are more cases of fever, longer fever duration, longer hospital stay, higher serum CXCL10, and higher D-dimer levels (P < .001). The area under the curve of the probability curve for predicting severe mycoplasma pneumonia is 0.975 (P < .05). Children with severe mycoplasma pneumonia have significantly longer fever duration and hospital stay than those with mild symptoms. The serum levels of CXCL10 and CXCL16 are significantly elevated., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding and conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)