Child ; Humans ; Granulomatous Disease, Chronic/complications* ; Pneumonia

Objective:To observe the expression of Galectin-7 in the serum and sputum of asthmatic children and to explore its significance in asthmatic children.Methods:The study prospectively case-control selected 183 children diagnosed with bronchial asthma at Department Ⅱ of Respiratory Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Beijing Children′s Hospital of Capital Medical University. The control group consisted of 41 children with other bronchial diseases and 43 healthy children. Children in the asthma group were divided into acute and non-acute exacerbation groups. Acute exacerbation group was divided as mild acute, moderate acute and severe acute groups; non-acute exacerbation group was divided as mild persistent, moderate persistent and severe persistent groups. Children without acute exacerbation asthma in the asthma group were divided into high and low Galectin-7 groups based on median serum Galectin-7 levels. Serum and sputum were collected, Galectin-7 levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The study compared and analyzed the differences in Galectin-7 levels between children with asthma and the control groups using Mann-Whitney U test or the Kruskal-Wallis or the Chi-square test for inter-group comparisons. Results:Among 183 children, 61 cases had acute asthma exacerbation, and 122 cases had persistent asthma without acute exacerbation. The asthma group comprised 110 males and 73 females. The control group consisted of 41 children with other bronchial diseases, including 24 cases of bronchiectasis and 17 cases of obliterans bronchitis. The control group comprised 26 males and 15 females. Forty-three healthy children who underwent physical examination, including 22 males and 21 females. The levels of Galectin-7 in serum were significantly higher in children with an acute asthma exacerbation than that of healthy children (0.1 (0, 0.7) vs. 0 (0, 0.2) μg/L, Z=2.09, P=0.001). Galectin-7 levels in sputum were higher in children with an acute asthma exacerbation than that in children with other bronchial diseases (1.2 (0.1,3.7) vs. 0.4 (0.1, 1.5) μg/L, Z=2.20, P<0.001). Serum Galectin-7 levels were significantly higher in children with persistent asthma compared to children with other bronchial diseases and healthy children (0.6 (0.3, 1.2) vs. 0.1 (0, 0.5) and 0 (0, 0.2) μg/L, Z=-6.12 ,-7.63, both P<0.001), and the levels were significantly and positively correlated with asthma severity ( r=0.77, P<0.001), disease duration ( r=0.34, P=0.001), and number of previous attacks ( r=0.51, P<0.001). There were 61 children in the high-Galectin-7 group and 61 children in the low-Galectin-7 group. Children with high Galectin-7 had more asthma triggers, a greater proportion with a positive family history, more previous asthma attacks, longer duration of asthma, and higher serum total IgE levels compared to those with low Galectin-7 ( χ2=9.30, 22.46, Z=5.06, 3.57, 2.31, all P<0.05). Conclusion:The expression of Galectin-7 is found to be elevated in the serum and sputum of asthmatic children and correlated with asthma conditions.

Objective:To investigate and summarize pediatric patients with severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) presenting with varied clinical and chest imaging features in order to guide the individualized treatment. Methods:This was a retrospective cohort study. Medical records of clinical, imaging and laboratory data of 505 patients with MPP who were admitted to the Department Ⅱ of Respirology Center, Beijing Children′s Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2016 to October 2023 and met the enrollment criteria were included. They were divided into severe group and non-severe group according to whether lower airway obliterans was developed. The clinical and chest imaging features of the two groups were analyzed. Those severe cases with single lobe ≥2/3 consolidation (lobar consolidation) were further divided into subtype lung-necrosis and subtype non-lung-necrosis based on whether lung necrosis was developed. Comparison on the clinical manifestations, bronchoscopic findings, whole blood C-reactive protein (CRP) and other inflammatory indicators between the two subtypes was performed. Comparisons between two groups were achieved using independent-sample t-test, nonparametric test or chi-square test. Univariate receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed on the indicators such as CRP of the two subtypes. Results:Of the 505 cases, 254 were male and 251 were female. The age of the onset was (8.2±2.9) years. There were 233 severe cases, among whom 206 were with lobar consolidation and 27 with diffuse bronchiolitis. The other 272 belonged to non-severe cases, with patchy, cloudy infiltrations or single lobe <2/3 uneven consolidation or localized bronchiolitis. Of the 206 cases (88.4%) severe cases with lobar consolidation, 88 harbored subtype lung-necrosis and 118 harbored subtype non-lung-necrosis. All 206 cases (100.0%) presented with persistent high fever, among whom 203 cases (98.5%) presented with inflammatory secretion obstruction and plastic bronchitis under bronchoscopy. Of those 88 cases with subtype lung-necrosis, there were 42 cases (47.7%) with dyspnea and 39 cases (44.3%) with moderate to massive amount of pleural effusion. There were 35 cases (39.8%) diagnosed with lung embolism during the disease course, of which other 34 cases (38.6%) were highly suspected. Extensive airway mucosal necrosis was observed in 46 cases (52.3%), and the level of their whole blood CRP was significantly higher than that of subtype non-lung-necrosis (131.5 (91.0, 180.0) vs. 25.5 (12.0, 43.1) mg/L, U=334.00, P<0.001). They were regarded as subtype "lung consolidation-atelectasis-necrosis". Of those 118 cases with subtype non-lung-necrosis, 27 cases (22.9%) presented with dyspnea and none were with moderate to massive amount of pleural effusion. Sixty-five cases (55.1%) presented with plastic bronchitis and localized airway mucosal necrosis was observed in 32 cases (27.1%). They were deemed as subtype "lung consolidation-atelectasis". ROC curve analyses revealed that whole blood CRP of 67.5 mg/L on the 6-10 th day of disease course exhibited a sensitivity of 0.96, a specificity of 0.89, and an area under the curve of 0.97 for distinguishing between these two subtypes among those with lobar consolidation. Conclusions:Pediatric patients with severe MPP present with lobar consolidation or diffuse bronchiolitis on chest imaging. Those with lobar consolidation harbor 2 subtypes as "lung consolidation-atelectasis-necrosis" and "lung consolidation-atelectasis". Whole blood CRP of 67.5 mg/L can be applied as an early discriminating indicator to discriminate between these two subtypes.

Objective:To study the clinical characteristics of respiratory syncytial viral pneumonia in children aged 2 to 5 years, and pinpoint the risk factors of severe pneumonia, in order to establish a basis for early diagnosis.Methods:We performed a retrospective investigation of clinical data from 210 children aged 2-5 years, diagnosed with respiratory syncytial virus pneumonia and hospitalized in our institution from December 2017 to June 2023 of New Century International Children′s Hospital, Beijing. According to the severity of their illness, they were divided into mild group and severe group. The aim was to compare their general data and clinical characteristics and to analyze the risk factors of severe respiratory syncytial viral pneumonia.Results:Among 210 children infected with RSV pneumonia, the male to female ratio was 1.26∶1, with a peak body temperature of 39.35±0.68 ℃, an average course of fever was 5.98±2.20 days, and an average hospital stay of 7.16±2.29 days. RSV pneumonia occurred throughout the year, predominantly in spring and winter. Among the children affected, 26.19% had tachypnea, 22.38% had three concave sign, 77.14% had moist rales in the lungs, 42.86% had wheezing sounds, 22.86% had myocardial damage, 15.24% had diffuse panbronchiolitis. The result from the univariate analysis showed that there were statistically significant differences in preterm delivery, peak body temperature, length of hospital stay, tachypnea, wheezing, three concave sign, moist rale, wheezing sound, CRP, X-ray pulmonary shadow and diffuse panbronchiolitis between mild and severe groups ( P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that moist rales and X-ray lung shadows were risk factors for severe RSV pneumonia. Conclusions:Importantly, certain clinical differences were observed between mild and severe cases of respiratory syncytial virus pneumonia in children aged 2 to 5 years. Moist rales and X-ray lung shadows are independent risk factors for severe respiratory syncytial viral pneumonia in children aged 2 to 5 years.

Objective To explore the effects of the same dose of fractionated radiation and single radiation on radiation-induced heart damage in mice.Methods Twenty-one wild-type C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into the normal group,fractionated radiation group and single radiation group.18 Gy X-ray,via fractionated(3 Gy/time,6 times)radiation or single radiation,was used to establish a radiation-induced heart damage model.The concentrations of myocardial enzyme damage markers(creatinekinase(CK),creatinekinase-MB(CK-MB),lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)and LDH1)and peripheral serum ions(K+,Ca2+,Fe2+and Cl-)were detected by an automatic biochemical analyzer at day 7 and 28 after radiation.Ultrasound was used to detect and analyze the cardiac function of mice at day 28 after radiation,including the left ventricular ejection fraction(EF),left ventricular fractional shortening(FS),left ventricular end-diastolic volume(LVEDV),left ventricular mass(LV mass)and left ventricular end-systolic volume(LVESV).The opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore(mPTP)and changes of mitochondrial membrane potential of myocardial cells were observed using a laser confocal microscope.The ultrastructure of myocardia was observed under a transmission electron microscope(TEM)and cardiac fibrosis was checked by Masson staining.The atherosclerosis of the aorta was examined by gross oil red staining.Real-time quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)and Western blotting were performed to detect the expressions ofapoptosis-related genes and proteins,B cell lymphoma-2-associated X protein(BAX)and casepase-3.Results Seven days after 18Gy X-ray irradiation,the expression levels of CK,CK-MB,LDH and LDH1 in the single radiation group increased significantly or trended up,while only CK and LDH1 in the fractionated irradiation group continued to increase.Twenty-eight days after radiation,the expression levels of 4 enzymes in myocardial zymogram were increased by both radiation methods.Seven and twenty-eight days after radiation,the concentrations of serum ions K+,Fe2+,Ca2+and Cl-were significantly decreased by both radiation methods that could lead to the decrease of EF and FS,and the increase of LV mass,LVEDV and LVESV.Single radiation made more difference to EF and FS,and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant.Both methods could decrease the mPTP and mitochondrial membrane potential,especially single radiation,and there was significant difference between the two groups.The results of TEM showed that the mitochondrial cristae of myocardial cells decreased and vacuolated,and the myocardial fiber bundles became thicker after X-ray radiation.Masson staining showed that collagen fibers were deposited in the heart tissue ofmice after X-ray irradiation,particularly in the single radiation group.Gross oil red staining ofthe aorta showed that both methods could damage the aorta of mice,and the area of atherosclerotic plaques in the single radiation group was larger,which was statistically different from that of the fractionated radiation group.The results of RT-qPCR and Western blotting showed that X-ray radiation could increase the expression levels of apoptosis-related BAX and caspase-3 in cardiac tissue,especially in the single radiation group.The mRNAexpressions of BAX and caspase-3 increased more significantly in the single radiation group.Conclusion Both fractionated radiation and single radiation at the same dose can cause heart damage,so they can be used to establish a radiation-induced heart damage model of mice.Single radiation can cause more significant damage to the heart.Different modeling methods can be selected as required.

Objective To analyze the distribution characteristics and clinical significance of allergens in children with allergic diseases in Yangzhou area. Methods A total of 1, 025 children who were treated in the Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University from December 2022 to December 2023 and tested for allergens were selected as study objects. The detection results of allergens were collected and the distribution characteristics of allergens were analyzed. Results Among the 1, 025 children with allergy-related diseases, 83.41% (855 cases) tested positive for allergens, with a positive rate of 66.24% (679 cases) for inhalant allergens and 61.17% (627 cases) for food allergens. The most common allergens were milk (36.20%), molds (33.27%), and house dust mites (30.34%). There was no statistically significant difference in the positive rate of allergens among different age groups (P>0.05). The positive rate of allergen detection in boys was higher than that in girls, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The positive rate of inhalation allergens in children with respiratory symptoms was higher than that of food allergens, and the positive rate of food allergens in children with digestive tract symptoms was higher than that of inhalation allergens (P < 0.05). For children with immune system diseases such as skin symptoms and allergic purpura, there was no statistically significant difference in the positive rates of inhalant and food allergens (P>0.05). Conclusion The most common allergens in children with allergic diseases in Yangzhou area are milk, molds, and dust mites. Allergen testing can provide reference opinions for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of allergic diseases in children in Yangzhou area.

In recent years, the number of severe and drug-resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) in school-aged children in East Asian countries is on the rise, especially in China.Pediatric MPP is a heterogeneous disease.Some MPP children have a self-limited progression after infection, while some suffer an aggravated and prolonged course of disease.The sequelae of airway occlusion leads to the declines of lung function and quality of life.Although a series of nationally epidemiological data on pediatric MPP in China are scant, pediatric MPP should be regarded as the highly concerned main respiratory disease of school-aged children due to the large population of children in China and the long-term effects of MPP-induced airway occlusion.This article briefly reviews the correlation between Mycoplasma pneumoniae resistance and severe MPP, as well as the classification and treatment of MPP.

Objective:To observe the role of Huaiqihuang Granules (HQ) in the long-term management of bronchial asthma in young children, and the effective effect on concomitant rhinitis.Methods:A prospective real-world multicenter study was conducted in children aged 2-5 years with asthma diagnosed in the outpatient department (from April 2016 to March 2019)who received either inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)/leukotriene receptor antagonist (LTRA)(control group); inhaled ICS/LTRA plus HQ(combination group), or HQ alone(HQ group). All patients were followed up at week 4, 8, 12 after treatment. The number of days with asthma symptoms, the frequency of severe asthma attacks, the level of asthma control, and the days with rhinitis symptoms in the last 4 weeks were recorded. Differences before and after treatment, and those among groups after treatment were compared using Kruskal- Wallis H test or Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Results:A total of 2 234 eligible patients were recruited, and 2 147 cases completed followed-up visits, including 477, 1 374 and 296 cases in the control group, combination group, and HQ group, respectively. After the treatment, all 3 groups showed significant declines in the days with asthma symptoms, frequency of severe asthma attack and the days with rhinitis symptoms (all P<0.01), and the rate of well-controlled asthma increased significantly ( P<0.01). It lasted until the end of follow-up. Among groups, patients in the combination group showed significantly less days of asthma symptoms than those of the other 2 group at week 8 and 12[0(0, 0.9) d vs.0(0, 0.3) d, P<0.05; 0(0, 0.1) d vs. 0(0, 1.0) d, P<0.01]. Patients in the combination group and HQ group showed a significantly lower rate of severe asthma attacks than that of the control group at week 12 [0(0, 1), 0(0, 1), 0(0, 2), all P<0.05]. The well-controlled rate of asthma in the combination group was significantly higher than that of the control group and HQ group at week 8 and 12 (89.6% vs. 85.9% vs.82.1%, H=15.28; 90.9% vs. 84.1% vs. 81.8%, χ2=29.32, all P<0.01). Conclusions:HQ can significantly alleviate symptoms of asthma and rhinitis, severe attack of asthma, and increase the control rate of asthma when used as an additional treatment or used alone.

Macrolide and corticosteroid resistance has been reported in patients with Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) pneumonia (MPP). MP clearance is difficult to achieve through antibiotic treatment in sensitive patients with severe MPP (SMPP). SMPP in children might progress to airway remodeling and even bronchiolitis/bronchitis obliterans. Therefore, identifying serum biomarkers that indicate MPP progression and exploring new targeted drugs for SMPP treatment require urgency. In this study, serum samples were collected from patients with general MPP (GMPP) and SMPP to conduct proteomics profiling. The Fc fragment of the IgG-binding protein (FCGBP) was identified as the most promising indicator of SMPP. Biological enrichment analysis indicated uncontrolled inflammation in SMPP. ELISA results proved that the FCGBP level in patients with SMPP was substantially higher than that in patients with GMPP. Furthermore, the FCGBP levels showed a decreasing trend in patients with GMPP but the opposite trend in patients with SMPP during disease progression. Connectivity map analyses identified 25 possible targeted drugs for SMPP treatment. Among them, a mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase (mTOR) inhibitor, which is a macrolide compound and a cell proliferation inhibitor, was the most promising candidate for targeting SMPP. To our knowledge, this study was the first proteomics-based characterization of patients with SMPP and GMPP.
Biomarkers ; Carrier Proteins ; Child ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments ; Immunoglobulin G ; Macrolides ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma/drug therapy* ; Proteomics

Objective:To explore the effects of "rain classroom" wisdom teaching on geriatric students′ autonomous learning ability and self-efficacy.Methods:From June to August, 2021, 61 nursing students who practiced in the department of gerontology of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University were selected as research subjects, and divided into experimental group (30 students) and control group (31 students) by random number table method. In the experimental group, wisdom teaching based on "Rain classroom" was carried out at the same time as conventional teaching, while in the control group, conventional teaching was carried out, and the teaching effect was evaluated by the independent learning ability measurement scale and academic self-efficacy scale of nursing students.Results:The score of autonomous learning ability of nursing students in the experimental group was 68.55 ± 11.06, and that in the control group was 74.29 ± 9.16. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant ( t = -2.01, P<0.05). The academic self-efficacy scores of nursing students in experimental group and control group were 52.27 ± 11.56 and 52.64 ± 9.28 respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:The wisdom teaching of "rain classroom" improves the independent learning ability of geriatric nursing students, and attaches importance to the cultivation of self-efficacy of nursing students, and the improvement of self-efficacy needs further research.