title: [Serum tumor necrosis factor-&alpha;, interleukin -6 and galctin-3 concentrations in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the changes in serum tumor necrosis factor-&alpha; (TNF- &alpha;), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and galctin-3 (Gal-3) concentrations in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP), and their roles in MPP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum TNF-&alpha;, IL-6 and Gal-3 concentrations were measured using double antibody sandwich ELISA in 48 children with acute MPP (severe: 21 cases; mild: 27 cases) and in 30 healthy children (control group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum concentrations of TNF-&alpha;, IL-6 and Gal-3 in both the severe and mild groups were significantly higher than in the control group before treatment. The concentrations of the three indexes in the severe group were significantly higher than in the mild group. Serum concentrations of the three indexes decreased significantly after treatment in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum TNF-&alpha;, IL-6 and Gal-3 play important roles in the occurrence and development of pediatric MPP and their levels are associated the severity of this disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Zibo, Zibo, Shandong 255000, China. hanbo35@163.com.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duan
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D037502:Galectin 3; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha