Recommendations for diagnosing and treating severe <i>Mycoplasma pneumoniae</i> pneumonia in children: clinical practice protocols from the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University

Abstract

Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia （MPP） is a common cause of community-acquired pneumonia in children aged 5 and older in China. Although most affected children have favorable clinical prognosis， some cases can escalate into severe MPP due to risk factors such as pathogen resistance or co-infections， etc. These severe cases significantly jeopardize the lives of children and may lead to diverse long-term sequelae. In response to this challenge， the Children’s Medical Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University， integrating current guidelines， expert consensus， and its extensive clinical experience， has devised the “412” cluster treatment strategy. This comprehensive approach encompasses treatments for anti-infection， anti-inflammatory storm， anticoagulation and antioxidant stress. Additionally， it seamlessly integrates traditional Chinese medicine with western therapies， featuring bundled respiratory management and follow-up care. This strategy provides a valuable reference for the diagnosis and treatment of severe MPP in children.

Keywords

• severe <i>mycoplasma pneumoniae</i> pneumonia|severe pneumonia|children|cluster therapy