Chinese herbal medicine combined with Western medicine for Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children:An overview of systematic reviews

Objective:To summarize the characteristics and evaluate the quality of the methodology and evidence within systematic reviews(SRs)of Chinese herbal medicine(CHM)for Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(MPP)inchildren.Methods:SRs of randomized controlled trials were searched using PubMed,the Cochrane Library,Embase,the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Databases(CNKI),the Chinese Scientific Journals Database(VIP),Wanfang,and the SinoMed Database.SRs on the use of CHM alone or in combination with Western medications for MPP in children were included.The study compared the effects of Western medicine alone with those of CHM.The evidence quality using the A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews(AMSTAR)2,the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses(PRISMA)2020,and the Grading of Recommendations,Assessment,Development,and Evaluation(GRADE)criteria.The primary indicators were the total effective rate,fever subsidence time,and cough disappearance time.The secondary outcomes were pulmonary rale disappearance time,average hospitalization time,lung X-ray infiltrate disappearance time,immunological indices,and inflammatory cytokine levels.Results:Twelve relevant SRs were included;75%(9/12)were assessed as very low quality,and 25%(3/12)Were rated as low quality using the AMSTAR 2 criteria.According to the PRISMA 2020 checklist,the average SR score was 20.3 out of a 27 point maximum.In all SRs,CHM demonstrated improvement in symptoms and signs among children with MPP.The evidence quality using the GRADE criteria ranged from"very low"(>50%)to"moderate"(<5%).The most common downgrading factor was imprecision,followed by publication bias and inconsistency.Conclusion:This overview highlights the limited quality of the methodology and evidence of the included SRs.Although the included studies showed the beneficial effects of CHM on MPP in children,it was difficult to draw firm conclusions owing to methodological flaws.

Serum inflammatory markers in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia and their predictive value for mycoplasma severity

BACKGROUND Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(MPP)significantly impacts pediatric health,necessitating markers for early severe disease identification.AIM To investigate the correlation between serum inflammatory marker and the severity of MPP in children.METHODS A prospective study was carried out from January 2023 to November 2023.A total of 160 children with MPP who underwent treatment were selected:80 had severe MPP and 80 had mild MPP.Clinical and laboratory data were collected at the time of hospital admission and during hospitalization.Receiver operating characteristic curves were utilized to assess the diagnostic and prognostic for severe MPP.RESULTS Fever duration and length of hospitalization in pediatric patients with severe MPP exceeded those with mild MPP.The incidence of pleural effusion,lung consolidation,and bronchopneumonia on imaging was markedly elevated in the severe MPP cohort compared to the mild MPP cohort.In contrast to the mild cohort,there was a notable increase in C-reactive protein(CRP),procalcitonin(PCT),erythrocyte sedimentation rate,lactic dehydrogenase,D-dimer,and inflammatory cytokines[interleukin(IL)-6,IL-8,IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α]in the severe MPP group were significantly higher.CONCLUSION Serum inflammatory markers(CRP,PCT,IL-6,D-dimer,IL-10 and TNF-α)were considered as predictors in children with severe MPP.

Understanding serum inflammatory markers in pediatric Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia

This editorial reflects on the research,which investigates the potential of serum markers to predict the severity of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections.Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(MPP)is a prevalent cause of respiratory infections in children,often leading to significant morbidity.Predicting the severity of MPP can significantly enhance patient management and outcomes.This editorial reviews the role of specific laboratory markers:(1)Lactate dehydrogenase;(2)Interleukin(IL)-6;(3)IL-10;(4)Tumor necrosis factor-α;and(5)D-dimer in predicting the severity of MPP in pediatric patients.Elevated levels of these markers are strongly associated with severe cases of MPP,providing clinicians with valuable tools for early diagnosis and targeted intervention.

Analysis of the Role of D-Dimer,Interleukin-6,and Interleukin-18 in Differential Diagnosis of Pediatric Refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae Pneumonia

Objective:To analyze the value of D-dimer(D-D),interleukin-6(IL-6),and IL-18 in the differential diagnosis of children with refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(RMPP).Methods:The medical records of 92 children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(MPP)treated in the hospital were selected for retrospective analysis from January 2023 to January 2024.After comprehensive examinations such as computed tomography examination of the chest,48 children with general Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(GMPP)were put in the GMPP group and 44 children with RMPP were grouped in the RMPP group.The IL-6,IL-18,and D-D levels were compared between the two groups,and the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were plotted to analyze their value for differential diagnosis of RMPP.Results:The levels of IL-6,IL-18,and D-D in the RMPP group were higher than those in the GMPP group(P<0.05);the ROC curves showed that the specificity of the differential diagnosis of IL-6,IL-18,and D-D was higher,and their diagnostic value was significant.Conclusion:Determination of IL-6,IL-18,and D-D levels in children with MPP can further diagnose the children’s condition,which can help physicians formulate targeted treatment plans,and is of great significance to the improvement of the children’s condition,which is worthy of attention.

Research Progress on Combined Chinese and Western Medicine Treatment of Mycoplasma pneumoniae Pneumonia in Children

With the continuous development of medical technology,combined treatment of Chinese and Western medicine has gradually become a research hotspot.As a common disease in pediatrics,the treatment of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(MPP)in children is also being explored and improved.This article summarizes the research progress of combined Chinese and Western medicine treatment of MPP in children in recent years,aiming to provide a useful reference for the combined treatment of MPP in children.The article firstly introduces the etiology and pathogenesis of MPP in children,thereafter briefly introduces the Western anti-infective treatment and traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)diagnosis and treatment of MPP in children,and lastly introduces the methods of combined treatment of TCM and Western medicine in detail.The article points out that the combination of Chinese and Western medicine can give full play to the overall regulation of Chinese medicine and the precise treatment advantages of Western medicine,improve the therapeutic effect,reduce the use of antibiotics,and lower the recurrence rate of the disease,which is worthy of further research and promotion.

Using 16S rDNA Sequencing Technology to Preliminarily Analyze Intestinal Flora in Children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae Pneumonia

Objective We investigated changes in the intestinal flora of children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(MPP).Methods Between September 2019 and November 2019,stool samples from 14 children with MPP from The Fourth Hospital of Baotou city,Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,were collected and divided into general treatment(AF)and probiotic(AFY)groups,according to the treatment of“combined Bifidobacterium,Lactobacillus,Enterococcus,and Bacillus cereus tablets live”.Highthroughput 16S rDNA sequencing was used to identify intestinal flora.Results Intestinal flora abundance and diversity in children with MPP were decreased.Both Shannon and Simpson indices were lower in the AF group when compared with healthy controls(P<.05).When compared with healthy controls,the proportion of Enterorhabdus was lower in the AF group,while the proportion of Lachnoclostridium was higher(P<0.05).The proportion of Bifidobacteria and Akkermansia was lower in the AFY group but Enterococcus,Lachnoclostridium,Roseburia,and Erysipelatoclostridium proportions were higher.The proportion of Escherichia coli-Shigella in the AFY group after treatment was decreased(P<0.05).Conclusions The intestinal flora of children with MPP is disturbed,manifested as decreased abundance and diversity,and decreased Bifidobacteria.Our probiotic mixture partly improved intestinal flora disorders.

Clinical characteristics of community-acquired pneumonia in children caused by mycoplasma pneumoniae with or without myocardial damage:A single-center retrospective study

BACKGROUND Mycoplasma pneumoniae(MP)is a prevalent pathogen that causes respiratory infections in children and adolescents.AIM To assess the differences in the clinical features of MP-associated communityacquired pneumonia(CAP)in children who presented with mild or severe mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(MPP);to identify the incidence of myocardial damage between the two groups.METHODS This work is a retrospective study.We identified children between 2 mo and 16 years of age with clinical and radiological findings consistent with CAP.We admitted patients to the inpatient department of the Second Hospital of Jilin University,Changchun,China,from January 2019 to December 2019.RESULTS A total of 409 hospitalized patients were diagnosed with MPP.Among them were 214(52.3%)males and 195(47.7%)females.The duration of fever and cough was the longest in severe MPP cases.Similarly,plasma levels of highly sensitive Creactive protein(t=-2.834,P<0.05),alanine transaminase(t=-2.511,P<0.05),aspartate aminotransferase(t=-2.939,P<0.05),and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)(t=-2.939,P<0.05)were all elevated in severe MPP cases compared with mild MPP cases,and these elevations were statistically significant(P<0.05).Conversely,the neutrophil percentage was significantly lower in severe MPP cases than in mild MPP cases.The incidence of myocardial damage was significantly higher in severe MPP cases than in mild MPP cases(χ^(2)=157.078,P<0.05).CONCLUSION Mycoplasma pneumoniae is the main cause of CAP.The incidence of myocardial damage was higher and statistically significant in severe MPP cases than in mild MPP cases.

The Predictive Value of NLR, IL-6, CRP, and PCT in Mycoplasmal Pneumonia with Complicated Myocardial Injury

Objective:To evaluate the dynamic changes in neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR),interleukin-6(IL-6),C-reactive protein(CRP),and procalcitonin(PCT)levels in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(MPP)complicated by myocardial injury and to determine their predictive value both individually and in combination.Methods:150 children diagnosed with MPP at Jiujiang Maternal and Child Health Hospital between June 2023 and June 2024 were selected.Patients were divided into the myocardial damage group(MD group,n=65)and the non-myocardial damage group(non-MD group,n=85),based on the presence of myocardial injury.Ninety hospitalized children without MPP served as the control group(Con group).Myocardial enzyme profile indicators,including lactate dehydrogenase(LDH),α-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase(α-HBDH),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I(hs-cTnI),creatine kinase(CK),and creatine kinase-MB(CK-MB),were measured using a chemiluminescent immunoassay analyzer.Serum NLR,IL-6,CRP,and PCT levels were determined using appropriate analyzers.The correlation between these markers and myocardial enzyme indicators was analyzed using Spearman correlation analysis.Multivariate logistic regression was applied to identify risk factors for myocardial injury in MPP patients.Results:Serum levels of NLR,IL-6,CRP,and PCT in the MD and non-MD groups were significantly higher than in the Con group(P<0.05),with the MD group showing higher levels than the non-MD group(P<0.05).These markers were positively correlated with myocardial enzyme indicators.Logistic regression identified elevated NLR,IL-6,CRP,PCT,LDH,α-HBDH,AST,hs-cTnI,CK,and CK-MB as risk factors for myocardial injury in MPP patients(P<0.05).Conclusion:Elevated levels of NLR,IL-6,CRP,PCT,and myocardial enzymes are significant risk factors for myocardial injury in children with MPP,offering valuable insights for prevention and prognosis.

Preparation of Curcumin Chitosan Nanoparticles and Its Effect on Free Radical Injury in Mice with Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Pneumonia

Objective:Curcumin(Cur)and Chitosan(CS)were utilized as primary components for the production of curcumin chitosan nanoparticles.The impact of these nanoparticles on oxidative stress in mycoplasma pneumoniae-infected mice was assessed.Methods:The drug loading and entrapment efficiency of Cur-CS nanoparticles were determined for various feeding ratios,and the release profiles of Cur-CS nanoparticles in different release media were investigated using the dynamic membrane dialysis method.The mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(MPP)mouse model was created through the infection of mice with mycoplasma pneumoniae.The mice were then allocated randomly into five groups:a blank control group,an MPP model group,a low Cur-CS dose group,a middle Cur-CS dose group,and a high Cur-CS dose group,each consisting of 7 mice.The study compared the levels of antioxidant enzymes and phospholipid peroxide content in the lung tissue of mice across various experimental groups.Results:The findings indicated that the drug loading of nanoparticles escalated from 2.10%to 11.74%as the feed ratio of Cur to CS increased from 1∶20 to 1∶2.5.Concurrently,as drug loading increased,the entrapment efficiency of nanoparticles decreased from 85.33%to 58.92%.The cumulative release rate of Cur was 95.3%after 24 h,whereas the cumulative release rate of Cur-CS nanoparticles was only 94.3%after 48 h.Analysis of the lung tissue samples indicated that the levels of SOD[(76.17±9.36)U/ml,(86.23±10.09)U/ml,(98.06±11.12)U/ml]and GSH-Px[(19.75±2.22)U/ml,(23.92±2.53)U/ml,(27.23±2.67)U/ml]were significantly higher than those in the MPP model group(P<0.05).Conclusion:This suggests that curcumin chitosan nanoparticles may be suitable for antioxidant treatment of mycoplasma pneumoniae in mice,and can dose-dependently inhibit the release of oxygen free radicals in the lung tissue of MPP mice.This finding may offer a new avenue for the development of therapeutic drug carriers for MPP.

Proteomics study of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia reveals the Fc fragment of the IgG-binding protein as a serum biomarker and implicates potential therapeutic targets

Macrolide and corticosteroid resistance has been reported in patients with Mycoplasma pneumoniae(MP)pneumonia(MPP).MP clearance is difficult to achieve through antibiotic treatment in sensitive patients with severe MPP(SMPP).SMPP in children might progress to airway remodeling and even bronchiolitis/bronchitis obliterans.Therefore,identifying serum biomarkers that indicate MPP progression and exploring new targeted drugs for SMPP treatment require urgency.In this study,serum samples were collected from patients with general MPP(GMPP)and SMPP to conduct proteomics profiling.The Fc fragment of the IgG-binding protein(FCGBP)was identified as the most promising indicator of SMPP.Biological enrichment analysis indicated uncontrolled inflammation in SMPP.ELISA results proved that the FCGBP level in patients with SMPP was substantially higher than that in patients with GMPP.Furthermore,the FCGBP levels showed a decreasing trend in patients with GMPP but the opposite trend in patients with SMPP during disease progression.Connectivity map analyses identified 25 possible targeted drugs for SMPP treatment.Among them,a mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase(mTOR)inhibitor,which is a macrolide compound and a cell proliferation inhibitor,was the most promising candidate for targeting SMPP.To our knowledge,this study was the first proteomics-based characterization of patients with SMPP and GMPP.

Establishment of a Predictive Diagnostic Model for Acute Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Infection in Elderly Patients with Community-acquired Pneumonia

We established a diagnostic model to predict acute Mycoplasma pneumoniae （M. pneumonia） infection in elderly Community-acquired pneumonia （CAP） patients. We divided 456 patients into acute and non-acute M. pneumoniae infection groups. Binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curves were used to establish a predictive model. The following independent factors were identified： age 〉 70 years; serum cTNT level 〉 0.0S ng/mL; lobar consolidation; mediastinal lymphadenopathy; and antibody titer in the acute phase 〉 1：40. The area under the ROC curve of the model was 0.923 and a score of 2 7 score predicted acute M. pneumoniae infection in elderly patients with CAP. The predictive model developed in this study has high diagnostic accuracy for the identification of elderly acute M. pneumoniae infection.