J Korean Pediatr Soc.  1999 May;42(5):672-678.

Clinical Significance of Serum ECP in Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Pneumonia

• Rah YG
• Lee DK
• Lim IS
• Choi ES
• Chae SA

Abstract

PURPOSE: Allergic inflammation of the lower respiratory tract is a characteristic clinical feature in asthma patients, in which eosinophils play an important role. The activity of eosinophil may be determined by measuring the level of eosinophil cationic protein(ECP) in sputum or serum as a potential marker of the inflammatory severity.
METHODS
We measured the serum concentrations of ECP produced by eosinophils in 29 children with M. pneumoniae as the infected group, 26 children with M. pneumoniae as the non-infected group.
RESULTS
Number of infected group was 29(male 18, female 11, mean age 5.5 years old), and that of non-infected group was 26(male 17, female 9, mean age 5.2 years old). There were no sex and age differences between the two groups. The mean concentrations of serum ECP in infected group and non-infected group were 14.37+/-9.00microgram/L and 9.15+/-7.75microgram/L, respectively. It showed significant change statistically(P<.05). Total eosinophil count in infected group(221.10+/-232.84/mm3) was higher than that of non-infected group(171.8+/-262.46/mm3). There was no significant difference between the two groups. But there was an increment of serum ECP and eosinophilia and no increment of total IgE and specific IgE in either group(P<.001).
CONCLUSION
The results suggest that ECP may as a factor cause damage to the respiratory system similar to asthma in children with M. pneumonia.

Keyword

Mycoplasma pneumoniae; ECP; Pneumonia; Eosinophilia

MeSH Terms

Asthma
Child
Eosinophilia
Eosinophils
Female
Humans
Immunoglobulin E
Inflammation
Mycoplasma pneumoniae*
Mycoplasma*
Pneumonia*
Pneumonia, Mycoplasma*
Respiratory System
Sputum
Immunoglobulin E