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Necrotizing pneumonia (NP) is an uncommon complicated pneumonia with an increasing incidence. Early recognition and timely management can bring excellent outcomes. The diagnosis of NP depends on chest computed tomography, which has radiation damage and may miss the optimal treatment time. The present review aimed to elaborate on the reported predictors for NP. The possible pathogenesis of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and coinfection, clinical manifestations and management were also discussed. Although there is still a long way for these predictors to be used in clinical, it is necessary to investigate early predictors for NP in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) is an important disease in children. Studies have demonstrated that the levels of D-dimer are elevated in some children with MPP, especially those with thrombotic complications. However, the potential association between MPP and D-dimer remains unclear. In our study, we sought to explore the relationship between the levels of plasma D-dimer and clinical characteristics of MPP patients. Methods: Retrospective analysis was conducted on 356 patients who were hospitalized in our hospital for MPP between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2019. According to the peak value of D-dimer, patients were divided into three groups: the normal group (D-dimer<0.55 mg/L), the mild-moderately elevated group (D-dimer 0.55–5.5 mg/L) and the severely elevated group (D-dimer >5.5 mg/L). The demographic and clinical information, radiological findings, laboratory data, and treatments of patients were compared among different groups. Results: 106 patients were in the normal group, 204 patients were in the mild-moderately elevated group, and 46 patients were in the severely elevated group. More severe clinical and radiographic manifestations, longer length of fever, hospital stay and antibiotic therapy duration, higher incidences of extra-pulmonary complications, refractory MPP (RMPP), severe MPP (SMPP) were found in the elevated group, when compared with the normal group (P <0.01). Meanwhile, we found that the percentage of neutrophil (N%) and CD8+ lymphocyte (CD8+%), C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) trended higher with increasing D-dimer, whereas the percentage of lymphocyte (L%) and prealbumin (PAB) trended lower (P <0.01). In addition, the proportions of patients requiring oxygen therapy, glucocorticoid, bronchoscopy, immunoglobulin use, thoracentesis, or ICU admission were significantly higher in the severely elevated group than those in the other two groups (P <0.01). Correlation analysis showed that N%, L%, CRP, LDH, IL-10, length of fever, length of stay, and length of antibiotic therapy had strong correlations with the level of D-dimer. Conclusions: MPP patients with higher levels of D-dimer had more severe clinical manifestations and needed longer duration of treatment, which might be closely related to the severity of lung inflammation after MP infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics of refracory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (RMPP), and explore the related factors predicting RMPP. Methods: Retrospective analysis was performed on 634 children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) hospitalized in our hospital between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2014. The clinical features, laboratory data, radiological findings between the RMPP group and the general Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (GMPP) group were compared and the predictive values of related factors were analyzed. Results: The median age of the RMPP patients (n = 145) was much older than that of the GMPP patients (n = 489) (P<0.01). We also found more severe presentations, higher incidence of extra-pulmonary complications and more serious radiological findings in RMPP group, which needed oxygen more often, longer antibiotics administration and intensive care (P<0.05). Meanwhile, the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), immunoglobulin A (IgM), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and the percentage of neutrophils, CD8+ in RMPP group were significantly higher than those in GMPP group (P<0.05); while the levels of prealbumin (PAB) were lower than that in GMPP group (P<0.01). In ROC curve analysis, the percentage of neutrophil, CRP, LDH, PAB, IL-6, IL-10 and IFN-γ were useful for differentiating patients with RMPP from those with GMPP. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the CRP≥16.5mg/L, LDH ≥417IU/L and IL-6 ≥14.75pg/ml were significant predictors regarding to RMPP. Conclusions: CRP≥16.5mg/L, LDH ≥417IU/L and IL-6 ≥14.75pg/ml might be the significant predictors of RMPP in children, which can aid in early recognition of RMPP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compare the different features of necrotizing pneumonia (NP) and non-NP (NNP) caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) with large pulmonary lesions, and explore the predictor for NP to differentiate from MPP. A retrospective study of MPP patients with large pulmonary lesions hospitalized from January 2008 to December 2019 was enrolled, and clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, radiological findings were analyzed. Of 135 MPP patients with large pulmonary lesions, 56 were in the NP group, 79 were in the NNP group. We found the median length of fever days were much longer in NP group than those in NNP group. Higher levels of WBC, CRP, LDH, IL-6 in NP group were observed. Furthermore, the incidence of pulmonary consolidation was much higher in NP patients than that in NNP patients, while the CT value of large pulmonary lesion was much lower in NP patients. In ROC curve analysis, the cut-off values for the CT value and IFN-γ were 36.43 and 7.25 pg/ml, respectively. NP caused by MPP might be easier to suffer from prolonged clinical course, severe laboratory and radiological findings. CT value of large pulmonary lesions and IFN-γ could be used as biomarkers to predict NP from MPP with large pulmonary lesions in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]