Cold Agglutinin and Mycoplasma Antibody Titers in Children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae Pneumonia During Recent 5 Years

Yoon, Seon Hwa; Jung, Joon Kyo; Oh, Myung Ho

Abstract

PURPOSE
More effective diagnosis and treatment through a survey on clinical aspect for the last 5 years and interrelation between cold agglutinin titer and mycoplasma antibody titer of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia.
METHODS
369 patients hospitalized in the department of pediatrics of Chung Goo Sung Shim Hospital for the 5 years from January 1990 to December 1994 have been surveyed, which diagnosed to be Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumoniaby physical findings or chest x-ray findings with the titer of 1:64 in cold agglutinin test or the titer of 1:80 in Mycoplasma antibody test or forefold increase of any one or both of 2 titers in follow-up tes
RESULTS
1) More cases were found in 1990(76 cases, 20.6%) and 1994(181 cases, 49%) and the monthly distribution showed irregular fluctuations. Male to female ratio was 1:1.2 and high incidence was in the age of 3 to 5 years(27.9%), but 46 cases(12.5%) affected the infants below 1 year old. 2) Cough, fever, sputum were the most chief complaints. More moist rales, pharyngial injection, wheezing were found in physical examination. 86.7% of pneumonic infiltration were found in x-ray findings, 35.8% of which were both lung infiltration. The most common affected site was Rt. lower lobe and then Lt lower lobe and then followed by Rt. upper lobe. 71.8% of the whole cases were hospitalized for 5-8 days. 3) EM administration started 10-12 days after the onset in 29.3%. Mean duration of hospitalization of the cases administrated within 6 days from onset was 7.5+/-2 days, which was shorter than 8.4+/-3.5-that of the cases administrated after 6days from onset. The observation on those duration meant little atatistically(p>0.1) 4) The measure of Mycoplasma antibody titer in 142 cases among 245 positive cold agglutinin test case showed 61.3% of positive ratio. Positive ratio of cold agglutinin test peaked from 13th to 15th day after onset(89%) and went down(33%) after 19th day. Positive ratio of Mycoplasma antibody titer was at its summit(91%) from 7th to 9th day and went down(63%) after 16th day. decreased to 63% after 16 days. 264 cases tested simultaneously for cold agglutinin titer and Mycoplasma antibody titer. Titers of each simultaneous test for cold agglutinin and Mycoplasma antibody were in proportion each other(p<0.005, N=264, r=0.51).
CONCLUSIONS
Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia prevailed every 4 years(1990, 1994) and monthly distribution had been irregular. The most cases were found at age of 4 and 5. Mycoplasma antibody titer seems more effective for early diagnosis for Mycoplasma antibody titer showed high positive rate earlier and the rate went down earlier than cold agglutinin titer. The earlier diagnosis and treatment are required because of tendency of later erythromycin administration.