Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics of Mycoplasma pneumonia infection in children of different ages, and to provide a basis for precise treatment. Methods:A total of 216 children with Mycoplasma pneumonia infection who were admitted to the Xi 'an Children's Hospital from January 2019 to December 2021 were included in this study. These children consisted of 117 males and 99 females. These children were divided into school-age group (> 6 years old, n = 75), preschool group (3-6 years old, n = 72) and infant and toddler group (< 3 years old, n = 69) according to age. Data on general demographics, clinical manifestations, complications, laboratory indicators, imaging findings, and bronchoscopic results, as well as treatment efficacy and outcomes, were collected and compared among the three groups. Results:There were statistically significant differences among the school-age, preschool, and infant and toddler groups in terms of dry cough [45 (60.00%), 34 (47.22%), 18 (26.08%)], wheezing [13 (17.33%), 19 (26.39%), 41 (59.42%)], concurrent pleural effusion [26 (34.67%), 20 (27.78%), 11 (15.94%)], pulmonary necrosis [12 (16.00%), 3 (4.17%), 0 (0)], pulmonary imaging findings (patchy shadows [12 (16.00%), 22 (30.56%), 46 (66.67%)], ground-glass opacities [11 (14.67%), 18 (25.00%), 40 (57.97%)], consolidation shadows [58 (77.33%), 42 (58.33%), 8 (11.59%)]), fever duration [(9.58 ± 4.85) days, (9.48 ± 4.89) days, (6.58 ± 3.64) days], and cough relief time [9 (8,12) days, 9 (8,11) days, 8 (7,11) days] ( χ2 = 16.94, 31.10, 6.59, 15.53, 41.51, 33.40, 65.12, F = 11.97, H = 6.05, all P < 0.05). However, there were no statistically significant differences in fever, dyspnea, concurrent atelectasis, or prognosis ( χ2 = 0.21, 0.27, 0.61, 1.74, all P > 0.05). The percentage of neutrophils [(63.91 ± 10.96)%, (58.26 ± 13.79)%, (50.98 ± 13.79)%], platelet count [(305.01 ± 96.13) × 10 9/L, (324.91 ± 108.05) × 10 9/L, (342.41 ± 120.50) × 10 9/L], erythrocyte sedimentation rate [(47.07 ± 26.46) mm/h, (48.29 ± 26.33) mm/h, (38.16 ± 18.23) mm/h], creatinine [(39.10 ± 7.02) μmol/L, (31.50 ± 5.43) μmol/L, (25.85 ± 4.57) μmol/L], alanine aminotransferase [14 (11, 21) U/L, 12 (9, 20) U/L, 15 (11, 19) U/L], creatine kinase isoenzyme [17 (14, 21) U/L, 20 (16, 24) U/L, 23 (19, 27) U/L], and lactate dehydrogenase [260.0 (224.5, 343.5) U/L, 294.5 (252.0, 379.3) U/L, 317.0 (266.5, 384.5) U/L] levels in the peripheral blood differed significantly among the school-age, preschool, and infant and toddler groups ( F = 37.07, 4.91, 3.55, 167.22, H = 7.54, 57.34, 33.58, all P < 0.05). However, there were no statistically significant differences in peripheral blood white blood cell count, C-reactive protein, or procalcitonin levels ( H = 1.09, 2.49, 2.21, all P > 0.05). The bronchoscopic examinations revealed mucosal congestion and edema in all three groups ( χ2 = 0.51, P > 0.05). However, the detection of lymphoid follicles [43 (57.33%), 28 (38.89%), 18 (26.09%)], longitudinal folds [58 (77.33%), 34 (47.22%), 10 (14.49%)], mucus plugs [46 (61.33%), 32 (44.44%), 6 (8.70%)], and airway shaping [16 (21.33%), 5 (6.94%), 0 (0.00%)] increased with age, showing statistically significant differences among the three groups ( χ2 = 14.72, 56.94, 43.30, 19.58, all P < 0.05). Conclusions:The clinical characteristics of children with Mycoplasma pneumonia infection vary among children of different ages. In infants and young children, wheezing symptoms are more common, and they are prone to multiple organ dysfunction. Lung imaging primarily shows scattered patchy shadows and ground-glass opacities. In contrast, older children mainly present with dry cough, and lung imaging typically reveals large areas of consolidation. Bronchoscopic examinations reveal characteristic findings such as lymphoid follicles, longitudinal folds, mucus plugs, and airway shaping, with longer durations of fever and cough relief.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics of Mycoplasma pneumonia infection in children of different ages, and to provide a basis for precise treatment. Methods:A total of 216 children with Mycoplasma pneumonia infection who were admitted to the Xi 'an Children's Hospital from January 2019 to December 2021 were included in this study. These children consisted of 117 males and 99 females. These children were divided into school-age group (> 6 years old, n = 75), preschool group (3-6 years old, n = 72) and infant and toddler group (< 3 years old, n = 69) according to age. Data on general demographics, clinical manifestations, complications, laboratory indicators, imaging findings, and bronchoscopic results, as well as treatment efficacy and outcomes, were collected and compared among the three groups. Results:There were statistically significant differences among the school-age, preschool, and infant and toddler groups in terms of dry cough [45 (60.00%), 34 (47.22%), 18 (26.08%)], wheezing [13 (17.33%), 19 (26.39%), 41 (59.42%)], concurrent pleural effusion [26 (34.67%), 20 (27.78%), 11 (15.94%)], pulmonary necrosis [12 (16.00%), 3 (4.17%), 0 (0)], pulmonary imaging findings (patchy shadows [12 (16.00%), 22 (30.56%), 46 (66.67%)], ground-glass opacities [11 (14.67%), 18 (25.00%), 40 (57.97%)], consolidation shadows [58 (77.33%), 42 (58.33%), 8 (11.59%)]), fever duration [(9.58 ± 4.85) days, (9.48 ± 4.89) days, (6.58 ± 3.64) days], and cough relief time [9 (8,12) days, 9 (8,11) days, 8 (7,11) days] ( χ2 = 16.94, 31.10, 6.59, 15.53, 41.51, 33.40, 65.12, F = 11.97, H = 6.05, all P < 0.05). However, there were no statistically significant differences in fever, dyspnea, concurrent atelectasis, or prognosis ( χ2 = 0.21, 0.27, 0.61, 1.74, all P > 0.05). The percentage of neutrophils [(63.91 ± 10.96)%, (58.26 ± 13.79)%, (50.98 ± 13.79)%], platelet count [(305.01 ± 96.13) × 10 9/L, (324.91 ± 108.05) × 10 9/L, (342.41 ± 120.50) × 10 9/L], erythrocyte sedimentation rate [(47.07 ± 26.46) mm/h, (48.29 ± 26.33) mm/h, (38.16 ± 18.23) mm/h], creatinine [(39.10 ± 7.02) μmol/L, (31.50 ± 5.43) μmol/L, (25.85 ± 4.57) μmol/L], alanine aminotransferase [14 (11, 21) U/L, 12 (9, 20) U/L, 15 (11, 19) U/L], creatine kinase isoenzyme [17 (14, 21) U/L, 20 (16, 24) U/L, 23 (19, 27) U/L], and lactate dehydrogenase [260.0 (224.5, 343.5) U/L, 294.5 (252.0, 379.3) U/L, 317.0 (266.5, 384.5) U/L] levels in the peripheral blood differed significantly among the school-age, preschool, and infant and toddler groups ( F = 37.07, 4.91, 3.55, 167.22, H = 7.54, 57.34, 33.58, all P < 0.05). However, there were no statistically significant differences in peripheral blood white blood cell count, C-reactive protein, or procalcitonin levels ( H = 1.09, 2.49, 2.21, all P > 0.05). The bronchoscopic examinations revealed mucosal congestion and edema in all three groups ( χ2 = 0.51, P > 0.05). However, the detection of lymphoid follicles [43 (57.33%), 28 (38.89%), 18 (26.09%)], longitudinal folds [58 (77.33%), 34 (47.22%), 10 (14.49%)], mucus plugs [46 (61.33%), 32 (44.44%), 6 (8.70%)], and airway shaping [16 (21.33%), 5 (6.94%), 0 (0.00%)] increased with age, showing statistically significant differences among the three groups ( χ2 = 14.72, 56.94, 43.30, 19.58, all P < 0.05). Conclusions:The clinical characteristics of children with Mycoplasma pneumonia infection vary among children of different ages. In infants and young children, wheezing symptoms are more common, and they are prone to multiple organ dysfunction. Lung imaging primarily shows scattered patchy shadows and ground-glass opacities. In contrast, older children mainly present with dry cough, and lung imaging typically reveals large areas of consolidation. Bronchoscopic examinations reveal characteristic findings such as lymphoid follicles, longitudinal folds, mucus plugs, and airway shaping, with longer durations of fever and cough relief.

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