Features of lung dysfunction in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia with different chest imaging findings / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the features of pulmonary dysfunction in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) with different chest imaging findings.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical data from 215 children with MPP were reviewed. These patients were grouped based on chest image findings (bronchopneumonia, n=125; lobar pneumonia, n=69; interstitial pneumonia, n=21). Lung function parameters including forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), peak expiratory flow (PEF), and the maximum mid-expiratory flow rate (MMEF 25%-75%) were compared between the groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the acute stage, patients with bronchopneumonia had significantly lower PEF values (measured value and measured value/predicted value) than the other two groups of patients, children with lobar pneumonia had a significant lower MMEF 25%-75% than other patients, and children with interstitial pneumonia had a significantly lower FVC. All patients experienced an improvement in lung function parameters except FEV1 of the lobar pneumonia group in the recovery stage.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Various features of pulmonary dysfunction can be observed among children with MPP with different chest imaging findings. Patients with bronchopneumonia mainly exhibit large airway dysfunction. The ones with lobar pneumonia mainly suffer small airway dysfunction, and those with interstitial pneumonia demonstrate both airway obstruction and restrictive ventilatory dysfunction.</p>

Th1/Th2 immune response in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in children with severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the status of Th1/Th2 immune response and the value of the detection of cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) by examining the levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 in BALF and serum in children with severe Mycoplasma pneumonia (MPP).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 in BALF and serum were measured using ELISA in 25 children with severe MPP, 25 children with mild MPP and 25 children with foreign body in bronchus.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The levels of IL-4 and IFN-γ and the IL-4/IFN-γ ratio in BALF in children with severe MPP were significantly higher than those in children with foreign body in bronchus (P<0.01 or P<0.05). The serum levels of IL-4 and the IL-4/IFN-γ ratio in children with severe MPP were significantly higher than those in children with foreign body in bronchus (P<0.01) or with mild MPP (P<0.05). The levels of IL-4 and the IL-4/IFN-γ ratio in BALF were significantly higher than in serum (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The data suggest that the imbalance of Th1/Th2 exists in children with severe MPP and it seems to represent a predominant Th2-like cytokine response. The detection of cytokines in BALF appears to be more sensitive than in serum and may be of value in the diagnosis and therapy of MPP.</p>

Epidemiological study of betel nut chewing among elementary and middle school students in Loudi city, Hunan province / 中华口腔医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the prevalence of betel nut chewing and oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) among elementary and middle school students in Loudi city, Hunan province.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>According to the standard of the third national oral health epidemiological investigation, the subjects were selected through a two-stage random sampling procedure. A face to face questionnaire survey was conducted among students by random sampling from 6 schools, and oral examination was performed to find the prevalence of OSF.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 4087 eligible students, 4019 students participated in the survey(98.3%). Among the 4019 students, there were 498 betel nut chewers, the prevalence of betel nut chewing was 12.4%, which was much higher in male than in female students (437/2073, 21.1% vs 61/1946, 3.1%, P < 0.05). The proportion of students who were chewing areca nuts increased with increasing grades (P < 0.05). The prevalence was highest in senior schools (229/1077, 21.3%)and lowest in elementary schools (126/1983, 6.4%). Most students who were chewing areca nuts in elementary school obtained betel nuts from their parents (61/126, 48.4%), but most middle school betel nut chewers obtained betel nuts from their friends (88/143, 61.5% and 165/229, 72.1%). Five OSF cases (0.12%) were diagnosed among the 4019 students, all of them were male senior school students.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Betel nut chewing was common and OSF cases were found among elementary and middle school students in Loudi city. There were more male than female students who were chewing betel nut.</p>