title: Effects of prednisolone on refractory mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To prospectively evaluate prednisolone treatment in children with refractory Mycoplasma pneumonia pneumonia (MPP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-eight refractory children with MPP were enrolled to receive either azithromycin combined with prednisolone (treatment group, n = 28) or azithromycin alone (control group, n = 30). Temperature, respiratory symptoms and signs were examined at the time of study entry and every 8 hr after enrollment, infiltration absorption, atelectasis resolution, pleural effusion disappearance, and serum ferritin and LDH levels were assessed on seventh day after enrollment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients in treatment group achieved defervescence during 8-48 hr after enrollment versus no patient in the control group. The mean duration of hypoxemia was 1.9 ± 0.9 days in treatment group and 2.7 ± 1.1 days in the control group (P < 0.05), and the dyspnea resolved time was 1.5 ± 0.7 days and 2.9 ± 0.6 days (P < 0.05), respectively. Seven days after enrollment, 80% of patients in treatment group showed infiltration absorption versus 21.4% in control group (P < 0.05); the figures for atelectasis resolution were 71.4% versus 12.5% (P < 0.05), and for pleural effusion disappearance 88.9% versus 20.0% (P < 0.05). The serum ferritin and LDH level was lower in the treatment than that in control group (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Azithromycin combined with prednisolone is a better treatment for children with refractory MPP than azithromycin alone.
authors: Department of Respiratory, Children's Hospital, Chong Qing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
authors: Zhengxiu
authors: Z
authors: Luo
authors: Jian
authors: J
authors: Luo
authors: Enmei
authors: E
authors: Liu
authors: Xiujuan
authors: X
authors: Xu
authors: Yulin
authors: Y
authors: Liu
authors: Fengqiong
authors: F
authors: Zeng
authors: Subi
authors: S
authors: Li
authors: Zhou
authors: Z
authors: Fu
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017963:Azithromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D017963:Azithromycin; D011239:Prednisolone
keywords: azithromycin; children; prednisolone; refractory mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia