title: [Th1/Th2 immune response in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in children with severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the status of Th1/Th2 immune response and the value of the detection of cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) by examining the levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 in BALF and serum in children with severe Mycoplasma pneumonia (MPP).
  
  
  METHODS
  The levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 in BALF and serum were measured using ELISA in 25 children with severe MPP, 25 children with mild MPP and 25 children with foreign body in bronchus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels of IL-4 and IFN-γ and the IL-4/IFN-γ ratio in BALF in children with severe MPP were significantly higher than those in children with foreign body in bronchus (P<0.01 or P<0.05). The serum levels of IL-4 and the IL-4/IFN-γ ratio in children with severe MPP were significantly higher than those in children with foreign body in bronchus (P<0.01) or with mild MPP (P<0.05). The levels of IL-4 and the IL-4/IFN-γ ratio in BALF were significantly higher than in serum (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data suggest that the imbalance of Th1/Th2 exists in children with severe MPP and it seems to represent a predominant Th2-like cytokine response. The detection of cytokines in BALF appears to be more sensitive than in serum and may be of value in the diagnosis and therapy of MPP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Qilu Children's Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250022, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Meng
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Ming-Jie
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Yu-Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Shi-Fu
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma