Comparison of Clinical Characteristics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae Pneumonia According to the Pleural Effusion

Byun, Shin Yun; Bae, Yun Jin; Yoo, Jae Ho; Jung, Jin A

Abstract

PURPOSE
Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) is a major cause of respiratory infections in school-aged children. Complications of M. pneumoniae pneumonia include atelectasis, pleural effusion, empyema, pneumothorax and bronchiectasis. We evaluated the clinical characteristics of M. pneumoniae pneumonia with pleural effusion.
METHODS
A total of 210 medical records of children who were admitted to the Dong-A University hospital due to M. pneumoniae pneumonia from 2000 to 2004 were retrospectively analyzed. Diagnosis of M. pneumoniae pneumonia was based on the single titer of antimycoplasmal antibody higher than 1:320. Enrolled children were divided into Group A (with pleural effusion) and Group B (without effusion). We analysed the differences between the two groups according to sex, age, onset, symptoms, clinical manifestations, laboratory findings and chest x-rays.
RESULTS
There were no significant differences in age, sex and clinical manifestations between the two groups. Group A had longer fever durations (9.3+/-7.8 days vs 5.0+/-3.7 days), and a longer duration of hospitalization (10.4+/-6.3 days vs 6.9+/-6.3 days) compare to Group B. Also, compared to the Group B, Group A had higher ESR (49.6+/-32.9 mm/hr vs 28.7+/-20.4 mm/hr), CRP (23.0+/-60.4 mg/dL vs 8.7+/-30.9 mg/dL), SGOT (67+/-74.2 IU/L vs 53.6+/-60.0 IU/L), SGPT (37.4+/-18.6 IU/L vs 26.2+/-16.9 IU/L). There was no significance between antimycoplasmal antibody titer and pleural effusion.
CONCLUSION
This study shows that M. pneumoniae pneumonia with pleural effusion has a longer duration of fever and hospitalization, higher ESR, CRP, SGOT, SGPT compare to the M. pneumoniae pneumonia without pleural effusion. We conclude that these findings could be used as the prognostic factors in M. pneumoniae pneumonia with pleural effusion.