Serum CXCL10/IP-10 may be a potential biomarker for severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children

BACKGROUND: How to early distinguish the severity of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) is a worldwide concern in clinical practice. We therefore conducted this study to assess the relationship between levels of serum inflammatory chemokines and the severity of MPP. METHODS: In this prospective study, we enrolled 39 children with MPP, whose clinical information was collected, blood samples were assayed for cytokines and chemokines by ELISA. RESULTS: The levels of serum CXCL10 in children with severe MPP were significantly higher than those in children with mild MPP (2500.0 [1580.9–2500.0] vs. 675.7 [394.7–1134.9], P < 0.001). Measurement of CXCL10 levels in serum enabled the differentiation of children with severe MPP with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.885 (95 % CI 0.779–0.991, P < 0.001), with a sensitivity of 81.0 % and a specificity of 83.3 %. CONCLUSIONS: Serum CXCL10 level may be a potential biomarker for severe MPP in children.