[Traditional Chinese and Western medicine treatment of mycoplasmal pneumonia in children and the serum cytokine changes].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine (WM) treatments on mycoplasmal pneumonia in children and the changes in the serum cytokines. METHODS: Ninety children with mycoplasmal pneumonia were randomly divided into the treatment group and the control group. TCM was given orally and azithromycin at the daily dose of 10 mg/kg was administered intravenously in the treatment group. In the control group, only intravenous azithromycin was given. After a 7-day treatment, the response rate, time of symptom disappearance, and serum levels of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha were observed. RESULTS: The total response rate was 93.33% in the treatment group and 73.33% in the control group, showing a significantly better therapeutic effect in the treatment group (P<0.05). The combined treatments also showed better effects in alleviating fever, coughing and rales (P<0.05), and resulted in more obvious reduction in the serum levels of cytokines (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Combined treatment with TCM and WM produce good therapeutic effects in children with mycoplasmal pneumonia.

[Effect of Helicobacter pylori eradication on childhood acute idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of Helicobacter pylor (Hp) eradication in children with acute idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). METHODS: Ninety-three children with acute ITP and Hp infection were divided into two groups and treated with prednisone and Hp eradication (group A, 51 cases) or with prednisone without Hp eradication (group B, 42 cases). RESULTS: The Hp eradication rate was 94.1% in group A. No difference was found in the therapeutic effects on IPT between the two groups, but the recurrence rate in one year in group A was significantly lower than that in group B. CONCLUSION: NHp eradication does not obviously enhance the therapeutic effect on childhood acute ITP, but can decrease the relapse rate in one year. HP eradication therapy is recommended in children with acute ITP and Hp infection.