Clinical application of Azithromycin in treating pediatric Mycoplasma Pneumonia and its effects on platelet count, D-Dimer Levels, and Serum Inflammatory Factors

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the clinical application of azithromycin in treating pediatric mycoplasma pneumonia and its effects on platelet count, D-dimer levels, and serum inflammatory factors.

Methodology: This was a retrospective study. Eighty children with mycoplasma pneumonia admitted to Anhui Children’s Hospital between June 2022 to June 2024 were selected as study subjects. They were divided into an observation group (n=40) receiving azithromycin and a control group (n=40) receiving erythromycin according to different treatment strategies. Clinical efficacy, time to resolution of symptoms, platelet count, D-dimer levels, serum inflammatory factor levels, and incidence of adverse reactions were compared between the two groups.

Results: The overall response rate of the observation group (95.00%) was significantly higher than that of the control group (72.50%) (χ²=7.440, P<0.05). The time to fever subsidence, cough resolution, hospitalization duration, and disappearance of pulmonary moist rales in the observation group were all significantly shorter than those in the control group (t=14.208, 9.639, 13.628, 31.677, P<0.05). After treatment, the platelet count (PLT) and D-dimer (D-D) levels in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (t=3.079, 7.847, P<0.05 for both). The serum levels of TNF-α, CRP, and IL-6 in the observation group were also significantly lower than those in the control group (t=6.540, 10.406, 9.688, P<0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions in the observation group (5.00%) was significantly lower than that in the control group (20.00%) (χ²=4.114, P<0.05).

Conclusion: Azithromycin offers multiple benefits in treating pediatric mycoplasma pneumonia, including rapid symptom resolution, potent anti-inflammatory effects, regulation of coagulation-fibrinolysis balance, reduction in serum inflammatory factor levels, and a lower incidence of adverse reactions.