The Clinical Characteristics and Predictors of Refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae Pneumonia in Children.

OBJECTIVE:To analyze the clinical characteristics of refracory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (RMPP), and explore the related factors predicting RMPP. METHODS:Retrospective analysis was performed on 634 children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) hospitalized in our hospital between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2014. The clinical features, laboratory data, radiological findings between the RMPP group and the general Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (GMPP) group were compared and the predictive values of related factors were analyzed. RESULTS:The median age of the RMPP patients (n = 145) was much older than that of the GMPP patients (n = 489) (P<0.01). We also found more severe presentations, higher incidence of extra-pulmonary complications and more serious radiological findings in RMPP group, which needed oxygen more often, longer antibiotics administration and intensive care (P<0.05). Meanwhile, the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), immunoglobulin A (IgM), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and the percentage of neutrophils, CD8+ in RMPP group were significantly higher than those in GMPP group (P<0.05); while the levels of prealbumin (PAB) were lower than that in GMPP group (P