Abstract
BACKGROUND: The prognosis of children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) is significantly impacted by the possibility of a missed or delayed diagnosis during the early stages of the illness. In this study, we assessed the potential of utilizing MP antibody and procalcitonin levels as diagnostic markers in pediatric patients with MPP, and their correlation with drug-resistance gene mutations. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 80 hospitalized children with MPP confirmed by 23 S PCR and 80 healthy controls, focusing on serum MP antibody and procalcitonin (PCT) levels. The diagnostic value was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Additionally, PCR combined with TaqMan fluorescent probe technology was utilized to detect drug-resistance gene mutations in the MPP group. RESULTS: The observation group exhibited significantly higher positive rates of MP antibody and PCT compared to the control group (28.75% vs. 8.75% and 72.50% vs. 18.75%, respectively; P < 0.05). ROC analysis revealed areas under the curve (AUCs) of 0.700 (95% CI: 0.623-0.770) and 0.779 (95% CI: 0.707-0.841) for MP antibody and PCT, respectively, with a combined diagnostic AUC of 0.869 (95% CI: 0.806-0.917) (P < 0.05). Furthermore, 22.5% of children with MPP exhibited drug-resistance gene mutations, associated with increased MP antibody and PCT levels. CONCLUSION: MP antibody and PCT levels are promising markers for diagnosing MPP in children, offering enhanced diagnostic value when used in combination. Furthermore, the presence of MP drug resistance gene mutations is associated with increased MP antibody and PCT levels, suggesting that these markers may have potential utility in guiding treatment strategies. Further research is needed to confirm their role in improving patient outcomes.