Risk factors analysis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in children and diagnostic value of IL-6 and STAT3

This study analyzes the risk factors for mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in children and the expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6)/signaling and transcriptional activating factor 3 (STAT3) pathway. Seventy-three children diagnosed with mycoplasma pneumoniae infection were admitted to Jinzhou Medical University Hospital between April 2021 and April 2023, forming the study group. Additionally, 730 healthy children who underwent physical examinations during the same period were selected as the control group. A comparison of clinical data between the 2 groups was conducted to analyze the risk factors associated with mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in children. Furthermore, the diagnostic value of IL-6, STAT3, white blood cells (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), and procalcitonin (PCT) in children with mycoplasma pneumoniae infection was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. A history of recurrent upper respiratory tract infections and living in close quarters are identified as risk factors for mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in children (OR = 1.988, 2.123, P < .05). The study group exhibited elevated levels of IL-6, STAT3 mRNA, WBC, CRP, and PCT compared to the control group (P < .05). Analysis of the ROC curve revealed that using IL-6, STAT3, WBC, CRP, and PCT levels individually or in combination yielded area under the curve values of 0.829, 0.813, 0.852, 0.759, 0.849, and 0.953, respectively. The combined detection method demonstrated a sensitivity of 86.30% and specificity of 90.40%. The IL-6/STAT3 pathway is known to be activated in children with mycoplasma pneumoniae infection, leading to an upregulation in the expression of white blood cells (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), and procalcitonin (PCT). Utilizing a combination of IL-6, STAT3, WBC, CRP, and PCT levels can aid in the diagnosis of mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in children. Additionally, a history of recurrent upper respiratory tract infections and living in close quarters with others can increase the risk of mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in children.