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Clinical implications of interleukin-18 levels in pediatric patients with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia

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Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy

Abstract

The immunological pathogenesis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia is known to involve several cytokines. The serum levels of interleukin-18 (IL-18) were examined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 23 pediatric patients (median age 6 years; range 4–13 years; 14 girls and 9 boys) with M. pneumoniae pneumonia admitted to our hospital. Serum levels of IL-18 ranged from 22 to 1808 pg/ml with a mean of 543 pg/ml. We started steroid therapy in two cases with IL-18 values greater than 1000 pg/ml without being aware of IL-18 levels. Examination of associations between IL-18 levels determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and a routine laboratory test showed that levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and IL-18 were significantly correlated. To determine the appropriateness of steroid administration in M. pneumoniae pneumonia patients, serum LDH should be examined. Patients with elevated levels of LDH are likely to have significantly elevated IL-18 values (≥1000 pg/ml) and thus can be candidates for steroid therapy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pediatrics, Department of Homeostatic Regulation and Development, Niigata University Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Asahimachi, Niigata, 951-8510, Japan

    Tomohiro Oishi & Makoto Uchiyama

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Niigata Prefectural Shibata Hospital, 1-2-8 Honcho, Shibata, Niigata, 957-8588, Japan

    Tomohiro Oishi, Kou Matsui, Takahiro Shirai, Mai Matsuo, Jun Negishi, Takayuki Kaneko, Shinya Tsukano & Tetsuo Taguchi

  3. Department of Pediatrics, Sapporo Tokushukai Hospital, Sakae-dori 18-4-10, Shiroishi-ku, Sapporo, 003-0021, Japan

    Mitsuo Narita

Authors
  1. Tomohiro Oishi
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  2. Mitsuo Narita
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  10. Makoto Uchiyama
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Correspondence to Tomohiro Oishi.

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Oishi, T., Narita, M., Matsui, K. et al. Clinical implications of interleukin-18 levels in pediatric patients with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia. J Infect Chemother 17, 803–806 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10156-011-0265-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10156-011-0265-7

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