Abstract:
OBJECTIVE To investigate the association between
Mycoplasma pneumoniae antibody (MP-Ab) titers in children and common laboratory indicators such as immunoglobulin E (IgE), C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), eosinophils (EOS), platelets (PLT), lymphocyte count (LYM) and basophil count (BAS).
METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted on the medical records and laboratory data of 4 458 children with MP infection treated at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from Jan. 2020 to Dec. 2024. Based on passive agglutination MP-Ab titers, the patients were divided into groups: ≤1∶80 (
n=1 134), 1∶160 (
n=1 115), 1∶320 (
n=720) and ≥1∶640 (
n=1 489). Subgroups were further categorized by age (≤5 years or >5 years). Linear trend tests analyzed the trend relationship between MP-Ab titers and common indicators, while Spearman's method was applied to assessed correlations.
RESULTS For children aged ≤5 years, MP-Ab titers showed a positive linear correlation with CRP (
rs=0.174,
Ftrend=53.313,
P<0.001), EOS (
rs=0.078,
Ftrend=5.203,
P=0.023) and PLT (
rs=0.090,
Ftrend=16.959,
P<0.001), and a negative linear correlation with PCT (
rs=-0.104,
Ftrend=16.521,
P<0.001) and LYM (
rs=-0.071,
Ftrend=13.190,
P<0.001). As MP-Ab titers increased, CRP, EOS and PLT exhibited an upward trend (all
P<0.05), whereas PCT and LYM showed a downward trend (all
P<0.05). For children aged >5 years, MP-Ab titers showed a linear positive correlation with CRP (
rs=0.119,
Ftrend=20.004,
P<0.001), LYM (
rs=0.036,
Ftrend=4.581,
P=0.033), MON (
rs=0.101,
Ftrend=14.931,
P<0.001), EOS (
rs=0.106,
Ftrend=21.352,
P<0.001), BAS (
rs=0.098,
Ftrend=10.488,
P=0.001) and PLT (
rs=0.210,
Ftrend=49.577,
P<0.001). As MP-Ab titers increased, CRP, LYM, MON, EOS, BAS and PLT exhibited an upward trend (all
P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS In addition to MP-Ab titers, clinicians should also pay attention to age stratification, CRP concentration and changes in routine blood tests during the diagnosis and treatment of MP infection.