[Clinical characteristics of respiratory infection due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae in hospitalized children].
BACKGROUND
Studies on Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection are scarce in Chile.


OBJECTIVE
To describe clinical characteristics associated with M. pneumoniae in children requiring hospitalization.


METHODS
All children with a respiratory infection requiring hospitalizations between 2000-2005, whom had a M. pneumoniae specific IgM > or = 1:32, were analyzed.


RESULTS
Fifty children meeting study criteria were identified with an average length of hospitalization of 4 days (range: 1-10); mean age was 5.4 years (46% were younger than 5 years). Common clinical features were cough (92%), fever (82%), malaise (74%) and respiratory distress (72%). At admission 40/45 children had hypoxemia. Chest-X ray showed interstitial pattern (69.3%), consolidation (51%) and hyperinsuflation (28.5%). Six patients had pleural effusion. Eighty four percent of patients had a favorable clinical outcome; eight children required admission to the PICU all of whom recovered.


CONCLUSIONS
Respiratory infections associated with M. pneumoniae in our series of children had a highly variable and non-specific clinical spectrum. Chest-X rays showed different pattern in concordance with previous publications.
Paul D
M de Los Angeles
Mde L
Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago.
Vega-Briceño
Luis E
LE
Potin S
Marcela
M
Ferrés G
Marcela
M
Pulgar B
Dahiana
D
García B
Cristián
C
Holmgren P
Linus
L
Sánchez D
Ignacio
I
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002677:Chile; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009177:Mycoplasma pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007075:Immunoglobulin M