Clinical significance of ambulatory detection of anti - mycoplasma pneumoniae IgM in children preliminarily diagnosed as mycoplasma pneumoniae peumonia

Objective To evaluate the clinical significance of ambulatory detection of anti -mycoplasma pneumoniae IgM ( MP - IgM ) in children preliminarily diagnosed as mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia and analyze the clinical features of them. Methods The MP - IgM were detected in 218 children preliminarily diagnosed as mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia using MP antibody reagents. Results In the 218 children, 172 cases showed positive MP antibody and the positivity rate was 78.8%.Positive cases was 89 patients during the second week of the onset of illness, 52 cases in the third week and 31 cases in the fourth week. The cases whose MP - IgM were positive in the fourth week of the illness were younger, had longer days of fever and more complications of other organ. They also had higher rate of combined usage of antibiotics. Their compliance with the course of treatment were better. Conclusions The ambulatory detection of MP - IgM was useful for choosing of antibiotics in children preliminarily diagnosed as mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia. Key words: Children; Mycoplasma pneumonia antibody; Ambulatory detection