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Updated: Sep 11, 2025
Experimental Model to Evaluate Resolution of Pneumonia
Published on: February 17, 2023
Changes in lung function in children after pneumonia: a multicenter study
Hejun Jiang1, Jingsheng Dai2, Guifang Zhou3
1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Insights
Nearly 40% of children experience persistent airway disorders one week after pneumonia, with specific pathogen infections like Mycoplasma pneumoniae and rhinovirus being significant risk factors. Close monitoring of lung function post-pneumonia is crucial, especially for rhinovirus cases.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Infectious Diseases
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Limited research exists on pediatric post-pneumonia lung function changes.
- Pneumonia can lead to persistent airway complications in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate lung function changes in children following pneumonia.
- To identify risk factors for airway disorders post-pneumonia.
- To analyze the impact of specific pathogen infections on lung function.
Main Methods:
- Prospective data collection from 566 children hospitalized with pneumonia across ten Chinese hospitals (Jan 2023 - Dec 2024).
- Pulmonary function tests conducted one week and one month post-discharge.
- Statistical analysis to identify risk factors for small airway disorder (SAD) and large airway disorder (LAD).
Main Results:
- 40.6% of children exhibited airway disorders one week post-discharge.
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae and rhinovirus infections were significant risk factors for SAD one week post-discharge.
- Male gender and Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection were risk factors for LAD one week post-discharge.
- Absence of detected pathogens was protective against persistent SAD one month post-discharge, while rhinovirus infection and lung consolidation showed mild significance.
- Male gender and rhinovirus infection were significant risk factors for persistent LAD one month post-discharge.
Conclusions:
- A significant proportion of children experience persistent airway disorders after pneumonia.
- Specific pathogen infections, notably rhinovirus, are closely linked to post-pneumonia airway complications.
- Children with rhinovirus pneumonia require vigilant monitoring for lung function changes post-discharge.
Background:
There are few studies on the changes in lung function after pneumonia in children. This study aims to explore the changes in lung function in children after pneumonia and analyze the risk factors for airway disorder, especially the impact of different pathogen infection on lung function.
Methods:
This study collected data from patients who were hospitalized due to pneumonia in ten Chinese hospitals between January 2023 and December 2024. Pulmonary function tests were performed to assess changes in lung function one week and one month after discharge.
Results:
A total of 566 children were included in this study, with 40.6% of patients still showing airway disorder one week after discharge. Different pathogenic infections had varying effects on pulmonary function. MP (Mycoplasma pneumoniae) infection [OR (95%CI): 1.881(1.268-2.789), P = 0.001] and RhV (rhinovirus) infection [OR (95%CI): 2.402(1.027-5.621), P = 0.043] were significant risk factors for the occurrence of SAD (Small Airway Disorder) one week after discharge. Male gender [OR (95%CI): 2.219, P = 0.001] and MP infection [OR (95%CI): 1.681(1.024-2.761), P = 0.039] were significant risk factors for the occurrence of LAD (Large Airway Disorder) one week after discharge. No positive pathogen results [OR (95%CI): 0.366(0.168-0.800), P = 0.011] were significant protective factors for the persistence of SAD one month after discharge, while RhV infection [OR (95%CI): 7.286(0.802, 66.238), P = 0.077] and lung consolidation [OR (95%CI): 1.753(0.956, 3.214), P = 0.069] showed mild significance for the persistence of SAD one month after discharge. Male gender [OR (95%CI): 2.246(1.137-4.436), P = 0.019] and RhV infection [OR (95%CI): 1.967(1.630-237.549), P = 0.019] were significant risk factors for the persistence of LAD one month after discharge, while no positive pathogen results [OR (95%CI): 0.249(0.092-0.678), P = 0.006] were a significant protective factor.
Conclusions:
Approximately 40.6% of children after pneumonia still had airway disorder one week after discharge, which was closely related to different pathogenic infections. Patients with RhV pneumonia, in particular, should be closely monitored for changes in lung function after discharge.
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