Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the efficacy and safety of prolonged azithromycin (PAZM) versus switching to doxycycline (SDXC) in the treatment of macrolide-unresponsive Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MUMPP) in children. METHODS: A total of 173 children with MUMPP who were hospitalized in Baoji Central Hospital, from January to December 2023 were selected as subjects. According to the choice of secondary antibiotic after 72 hours of initial macrolide therapy, they were divided into two groups: PAZM and SDXC. The efficacy and adverse drug reactions were compared between the two groups, and the risk factors for refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (RMPP) were analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with the PAZM group, the SDXC group had significantly shorter time to defervescence and time to cough relief, a significantly lower proportion of patients using glucocorticoids, and a significantly higher proportion of patients with lung lesion absorption (P<0.05). No adverse reactions such as liver and kidney function impairment and tooth discoloration were observed in either group. RMPP occurred in 47 cases in the PAZM group. The univariate analysis showed that lactate dehydrogenase levels and age were risk factors for RMPP (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy of SDXC is superior to that of PAZM in children with MUMPP, and short-term use of doxycycline is relatively safe.