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Minerva Pediatrics Apr 2024The relationship between cytokines and refractory mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (RMPP) in children was conflicting. The aim of the current study was to perform a...
INTRODUCTION
The relationship between cytokines and refractory mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (RMPP) in children was conflicting. The aim of the current study was to perform a systematic review to determine the relationship between cytokines and RMPP in children.
EVIDENCE ACQUISITION
We searched PubMed, and the search was done on 21 November 2022. This search was limited to human studies, with language restriction of English. Studies were included if they reported the relationship between cytokines and RMPP.
EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS
A total of 22 relevant full articles were included in the review. TNF-α levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and IL-18 levels in the blood samples were likely to be associated with RMPP. IL-2 and IL-4 lost significance regardless in the BALF or blood samples. Additionally, there was no significant difference in IFN-γ levels between RMPP patients and non-refractory mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (NRMPP) patients in the BALF. Patients receiving different treatments had different levels of cytokines.
CONCLUSIONS
This analysis offers evidence linking abnormalities of cytokines with RMPP in children, which may be essential for identifying individuals with RMPP. Large prospective studies are needed for further clarification of roles of cytokines in RMPP.
Topics: Child; Humans; Mycoplasma pneumoniae; Cytokines; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
PubMed: 37155205
DOI: 10.23736/S2724-5276.23.07158-6 -
EClinicalMedicine May 2024The escalating resistance of to macrolides has become a significant global health concern, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Although...
BACKGROUND
The escalating resistance of to macrolides has become a significant global health concern, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Although tetracyclines and quinolones have been proposed as alternative therapeutic options, concerns regarding age-specific safety issues and the lack of consensus in recommendations across various national guidelines prevail. Thus, the primary objective of this study is to ascertain the most efficacious interventions for second-line treatment of . infection while considering the age-specific safety issues associated with these interventions.
METHODS
In this systematic review and network meta-analysis we searched PubMed, Embase, CNKI, and WanFang Data, from inception up to November 11th, 2023. Studies of quinolones or tetracyclines for the treatment of people with infection were collected and screened by reading published reports, with any type of study included, and no individual patient-level data requested. A systematic review and direct meta-analysis compared the efficacy of tetracyclines and quinolones regarding time to defervescence (TTD) and the rates of fever disappearance within 24 h and 48 h of antibiotic administration, for managing . infection. Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA) was employed to indirectly assess the relative effectiveness of different interventions in people with . infection and the safety profile of medication in paediatric patients. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42023478383.
FINDINGS
The systematic review and direct meta-analysis included a total of 4 articles involving 246 patients, while the NMA encompassed 85 articles involving a substantial cohort of 7095 patients. The NMA measured the effectiveness across all ages and included 7043 patients, with a mean age of 37.80 ± 3.91 years. Of the 85 included studies, 14 (16.5%) were at low risk of bias, 71 (83.5%) were at moderate risk, and no studies were rated as having a high risk of bias. In the direct meta-analysis, no statistically significant differences were found between tetracyclines and quinolones concerning TTD (mean difference: -0.40, 95% CI: -1.43 to 0.63; = 0%), fever disappearance rate within 24 h of antibiotic administration (OR: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.08-1.79; = 58%), and fever disappearance rate within 48 h of antibiotic administration (OR: 1.10, 95% CI: 0.30-3.98; = 59%). However, the comprehensive NMA analysis of clinical response (in 70 studies; n = 6143 patients), shortening of TTD (in 52 studies; n = 4363 patients), shortening length of cough relief or disappearance (in 39 studies; n = 3235 patients), fever disappearance rate at 48 h (in four studies; n = 418 patients) revealed that minocycline exhibited the most favourable outcomes across these various parameters, and the analysis of fever disappearance rate at 24 h (in three studies; n = 145 patients) revealed that levofloxacin may be the most effective, as indicated by the rank probabilities and surface under the cumulative ranking area (SUCRA) value. Moxifloxacin ranked second in clinical response and in shortening the length of cough relief or disappearance, and third in shortening TTD. Notably, when evaluating the occurrence of adverse reactions in paediatric patients (in four studies; n = 239 children), levofloxacin was associated with the highest SUCRA value rankings for the rate of adverse events.
INTERPRETATION
Our findings suggest that tetracyclines and quinolones may be equally effective. Based on the age of participants in the included studies, minocycline may be the most effective intervention for children over eight years of age when all preventive measures are considered, whereas moxifloxacin may benefit people under eight years of age. However, these results should be interpreted with caution, given the limited number of studies and patients included, and the heterogeneity between included studies. Based on a limited number of studies in children, levofloxacin is likely to have one of the highest rates of adverse reactions. The majority of the studies included in the NMA were from the Asian region, and more randomised controlled trials comparing different therapeutic strategies in patients with . are warranted. This comparative study provides clinical pharmacists and clinicians with important information to enable them to make informed decisions about treatment options, considering drug efficacy and safety.
FUNDING
The Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province, China.
PubMed: 38596615
DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102589 -
BMJ Open Respiratory Research Sep 2023Epidemiological information is essential in providing appropriate empiric antimicrobial therapy for pneumonia. This study aimed to clarify the epidemiology of...
OBJECTIVE
Epidemiological information is essential in providing appropriate empiric antimicrobial therapy for pneumonia. This study aimed to clarify the epidemiology of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) by conducting a systematic review of published studies in Japan.
DESIGN
Systematic review.
DATA SOURCE
PubMed and Ichushi web database (January 1970 to October 2022).
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Clinical studies describing pathogenic micro-organisms in CAP written in English or Japanese, excluding studies on pneumonia other than adult CAP, investigations limited to specific pathogens and case reports.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS
Patient setting (inpatient vs outpatient), number of patients, concordance with the CAP guidelines, diagnostic criteria and methods for diagnosing pneumonia pathogens as well as the numbers of each isolate. A meta-analysis of various situations was performed to measure the frequency of each aetiological agent.
RESULTS
Fifty-six studies were included and 17 095 cases of CAP were identified. Pathogens were undetectable in 44.1% (95% CI 39.7% to 48.5%). was the most common cause of CAP requiring hospitalisation or outpatient care (20.0% (95% CI 17.2% to 22.8%)), followed by (10.8% (95% CI 7.3% to 14.3%)) and (7.5% (95% CI 4.6% to 10.4%)). However, when limited to CAP requiring hospitalisation, was the third most common at 4.9% (95% CI 3.9% to 5.8%). was more frequent in hospitalised cases, while atypical pathogens were less common. Methicillin-resistant accounted for 40.7% (95% CI 29.0% to 52.4%) of cases. In studies that used PCR testing for pan-respiratory viral pathogens, human enterovirus/human rhinovirus (9.4% (95% CI 0% to 20.5%)) and several other respiratory pathogenic viruses were detected. The epidemiology varied depending on the methodology and situation.
CONCLUSION
The epidemiology of CAP varies depending on the situation, such as in the hospital versus outpatient setting. Viruses are more frequently detected by exhaustive genetic searches, resulting in a significant variation in epidemiology.
PubMed: 37751988
DOI: 10.1136/bmjresp-2023-001800 -
Archives of Rheumatology Mar 2024This study aimed to clarify the relationship between and Kawasaki disease by conducting an updated systemic review and meta-analysis of published studies. (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to clarify the relationship between and Kawasaki disease by conducting an updated systemic review and meta-analysis of published studies.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Studies mentioning and Kawasaki disease before October 2022 were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence was calculated, and the log odds ratio in the random effects model was applied to estimate the pooled prevalence of infection in pediatric patients with Kawasaki disease. In addition, the clinical parameters, such as hemoglobin and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, were analyzed. Six studies with a total of 1,859 pediatric patients with Kawasaki disease were enrolled. The focused outcome was the pooled prevalence and clinical parameters.
RESULTS
The pooled prevalence of infection was statistically significant in pediatric patients with Kawasaki disease. In addition, the values of hemoglobin and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were significantly different between -infected and non--infected patients with Kawasaki disease. Other clinical parameters were not significantly different between -infected and non--infected patients with Kawasaki disease.
CONCLUSION
The results suggest that infection is significantly prevalent in pediatric patients with Kawasaki disease. The lower values of hemoglobin and erythrocyte sedimentation rate in -infected patients with Kawasaki disease might be needed to investigate further.
PubMed: 38774705
DOI: 10.46497/ArchRheumatol.2023.10149 -
BMC Infectious Diseases Jun 2024An improper host immune response to Mycoplasma pneumoniae generates excessive inflammation, which leads to the impairment of pulmonary ventilation function (PVF).... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
An improper host immune response to Mycoplasma pneumoniae generates excessive inflammation, which leads to the impairment of pulmonary ventilation function (PVF). Azithromycin plus inhaled terbutaline has been used in the treatment of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) in children with impaired pulmonary function, but previous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) showed inconsistent efficacy and safety. This study is aimed to firstly provide a systematic review of the combined therapy.
METHODS
This study was registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO CRD42023452139). A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis was performed. Six English and four Chinese databases were comprehensively searched up to June, 2023. RCTs of azithromycin sequential therapy plus inhaled terbutaline were selected. The revised Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomized trials (RoB2) was used to evaluate the methodological quality of all studies, and meta-analysis was performed using Stata 15.0 with planned subgroup and sensitivity analyses. Publication bias was evaluated by a funnel plot and the Harbord' test. Certainty of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation recommendations.
RESULTS
A total of 1,938 pediatric patients from 20 RCTs were eventually included. The results of meta-analysis showed that combined therapy was able to significantly increase total effectiveness rate (RR = 1.20, 95%CI 1.15 to 1.25), forced expiratory volume in one second (SMD = 1.14, 95%CIs, 0.98 to 1.29), the ratio of forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity (SMD = 2.16, 95%CIs, 1.46 to 2.86), peak expiratory flow (SMD = 1.17, 95%CIs, 0.91 to 1.43). The combined therapy was associated with a 23% increased risk of adverse reactions compared to azithromycin therapy alone, but no significant differences were found. Harbord regression showed no publication bias (P = 0.148). The overall quality of the evidence ranged from moderate to very low.
CONCLUSIONS
This first systematic review and meta-analysis suggested that azithromycin sequential therapy plus inhaled terbutaline was safe and beneficial for children with MPP. In addition, the combined therapy represented significant improvement of PVF. Due to lack of high-quality evidence, our results should be confirmed by adequately powered RCTs in the future.
Topics: Humans; Azithromycin; Terbutaline; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma; Child; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Mycoplasma pneumoniae; Drug Therapy, Combination; Administration, Inhalation; Treatment Outcome; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Child, Preschool
PubMed: 38944667
DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09564-x -
Frontiers in Pharmacology 2024This study constitutes a pioneering systematic review and meta analysis delving into the clinical efficacy and safety of the combined therapy involving Wuhu Decoction...
This study constitutes a pioneering systematic review and meta analysis delving into the clinical efficacy and safety of the combined therapy involving Wuhu Decoction and azithromycin for treating pneumoniae pneumonia in pediatric patients. This study conducted a comprehensive computerized search, covering 6 Chinese databases and 6 English databases, to collect randomized controlled trials related to the combined use of Wuhu Decoction and azithromycin for treating pneumoniae pneumonia in pediatric patients. The search was extended until August 2023. Two independent researchers were involved in literature screening, data extraction, and bias risk assessment. Meta-analysis was performed using Stata 14.0 and RevMan 5.4 software. Additionally, meta-regression analysis and subgroup analysis were carried out on primary outcomes to identify potential sources of heterogeneity and confounding factors. A total of 22 randomized controlled trials involving 2,026 patients were included in this study. The combined therapy of Wuhu Decoction and azithromycin demonstrated superior efficacy compared to azithromycin alone (RR = 1.17, 95% CI [1.13, 1.21], < 0.00001; low certainty of evidence). Additionally, patients receiving the combination therapy experienced significantly reduced the disappearance time of fever (MD = -1.42, 95% CI [-1.84, -1.00], < 0.00001; very low certainty of evidence), disappearance time of cough (MD = -2.08, 95% CI [-2.44, -1.71], < 0.00001; very low certainty of evidence), disappearance of pulmonary rales (MD = -1.97, 95% CI [-2.31, -1.63], < 0.00001; very low certainty of evidence), and disappearance time of wheezing (MD = -1.47, 95% CI [-1.72, -1.22], < 0.00001; very low certainty of evidence). Meta-regression analysis suggested that course of disease, sample size, and age might be sources of heterogeneity. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses reaffirmed the stability of these results. Furthermore, analyses of secondary outcomes such as T lymphocytes, serum inflammatory factors, and the incidence rate of adverse reactions consistently favored the combination therapy of WHD and azithromycin over azithromycin alone, with statistically significant differences. Based on our meta-analysis findings, the combined therapy of Wuhu Decoction and azithromycin for treating pediatric pneumoniae pneumonia exhibited superior overall efficacy in comparison to azithromycin monotherapy. However, in the included 22 studies, the majority of evaluated factors showed unclear bias risks, and a persistent bias risk was consistently present within one category. Moreover, due to the low quality of evidence, interpreting these results should be approached with caution. Hence, we emphasize the necessity for future high-quality, multicenter, and large-sample clinical randomized controlled trials. These trials are essential to provide more robust data for evidence-based research and to establish higher-quality evidence support. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42023465606.
PubMed: 38633618
DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1329516 -
Frontiers in Pediatrics 2024The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of Vitamin A (VitA) as an adjuvant therapy for pediatric Pneumonia (MPP) through meta-analysis, and to investigate... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of Vitamin A (VitA) as an adjuvant therapy for pediatric Pneumonia (MPP) through meta-analysis, and to investigate its impact on inflammation levels (IL-6, IL-10), in order to explore the role of VitA in pediatric MPP.
METHODS
Using a systematic literature search method, relevant research literature is searched, and RCT studies that meet the requirements are selected based on preset inclusion and exclusion criteria. Then, a quality evaluation was conducted on the included literature, and meta-analysis was used to calculate the combined effect values of mortality rate, hospital stay, lung rale disappearance time, cough duration, fever duration, IL-6 and IL-10 levels, and heterogeneity analysis was conducted. The levels of IL-6 and IL-10 represent the inflammatory levels in pediatric MPP patients, and exploring their changes has significant implications for the anti-inflammatory effect of treatment.
RESULTS
A total of 10 RCT studies were included, with a total sample size of 1,485, including 750 cases in the control group and 735 cases in the observation group. The meta-analysis results of this study showed that there was a significant difference in the total clinical efficacy of using VitA adjuvant therapy compared to the control group without VitA [OR = 3.07, 95%CI = (2.81, 4.27)], < 0.05. However, there was no significant difference in the adverse reaction rate between the use of VitA as an adjuvant therapy and the control without VitA [OR = 1.17, 95%CI = (0.61, 2.27)], > 0.05. At the same time, the hospitalization time [MSD = -0.86, 95% CI = (-1.61, -0.21)], lung rale disappearance time [MSD = -0.78, 95%CI = (-1.19,-0.51)], cough duration [MSD = -1.07, 95%CI = (-1.41, -0.71)], and fever duration [MSD = -0.47, 95%CI = (-0.72, -0.23)] using VitA as an adjuvant treatment were obviously lower. In addition, the meta-analysis outcomes also showed that the use of VitA adjuvant therapy can significantly reduce IL-6 [MSD = -1.07, 95%CI = (-1.81, -0.27)] and IL-10 [MSD = -0.13, 95%CI = (-0.31, 0.12)] levels. This indicates that the application of VitA in pediatric MPP also has the effect of reducing inflammatory response.
CONCLUSION
Based on the meta-analysis results, VitA adjuvant therapy can significantly improve the clinical symptoms of pediatric MPP patients, shorten hospitalization time, promote the disappearance of lung rales, and alleviate cough and fever symptoms. In addition, VitA adjuvant therapy can effectively reduce inflammation levels, indicating its potential role in inhibiting inflammatory responses. In clinical practice, VitA adjuvant therapy for pediatric MPP can be promoted as a potential treatment option.
PubMed: 38859981
DOI: 10.3389/fped.2024.1345458