title: Relationships between Th1/Th2 cytokine profiles and chest radiographic manifestations in childhoodMycoplasma pneumoniaepneumonia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mycoplasma pneumoniaepneumonia (MPP) is one of the most common childhood community-acquired pneumonias, and the chest radiograph usually shows bronchial pneumonia, segmental/lobar pneumonia, or segmental/lobar pneumonia with pleural effusion. The imbalance of Th1/Th2 function afterMycoplasma pneumoniaeinfection is an important immunological mechanism of MPP. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the correlations between Th1/Th2 cytokine profiles and chest radiographic manifestations in MPP children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 87 children with MPP were retrospectively reviewed in this study. According to the chest radiographic manifestations, they were divided into the following three groups: bronchial MPP group, segmental/lobar MPP group, and segmental/lobar MPP with pleural effusion group. Clinical features and changes in Th1/Th2 cytokines were further analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of tachypnea and cyanosis was higher in children with segmental/lobar MPP with pleural effusion than in those with segmental/lobar or bronchial MPP. The peak body temperature of segmental/lobar MPP was higher than that of bronchial MPP, and the duration of fever and hospitalization was positively correlated with the severity of MPP. MPP children's chest radiograph showed a relationship with the changes in Th1/Th2 cytokines. Serum interleukin-4, interleukin-10 (IL-10), interferon-γ, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) of segmental/lobar MPP were significantly higher than those of bronchial MPP, and serum IL-10 (cutoff value: 27.25 pg/mL) can be used as a diagnostic predictor for segmental/lobar MPP. Serum TNF-α and interleukin-6 of segmental/lobar MPP with pleural effusion were significantly higher than those of segmental/lobar MPP without pleural effusion. Serum TNF-α (cutoff value: 60.25 pg/mL) can be used as a diagnostic predictor for segmental/lobar MPP with pleural effusion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There were significant correlations between Th1/Th2 cytokine profiles and chest radiographic manifestations in MPP children. Serum IL-10 and TNF-α can be used as an optimal predictor for segmental/lobar MPP and segmental/lobar MPP with pleural effusion, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Tianjin Nankai Hospital; Nankai Clinical School, Tianjin Medical University, Nankai, Tianjin, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jiu-Ling
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Tianjin Nankai Hospital.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Tianjin Nankai Hospital.
authors.forename: Yu-Shui
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Wang
keywords: Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia; Th1/Th2; chest radiograph; cytokine