Combination of Qingfei Huayu Decoction and Targeted Nursing Care Improves the Clinical Outcomes in Pediatric Patients with Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Pneumonia

Abstract

To explore the efficacy of the combined use of Qingfei Huayu decoction (QFHYD) and targeted nursing care in pediatric cases of Mycoplasma Pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP). One hundred and twenty pediatric cases of MPP admitted to our hospital from January 2021 to December 2022 were selected and randomly divided into control (n = 60) and experimental (n = 60) groups. The control group (CG) was treated with targeted nursing care in conjunction with conventional Western medicine, while the experimental group (EG) received QFHYD in addition to the CG’s treatment. Clinical efficacy, symptom relief time, and levels of inflammatory markers were recorded. Subsequently, a mouse model of MPP was established to investigate the effects of QFHYD on bacterial load in lung tissues, tissue damage, and the expression of members of the Notch pathway. The symptom relief times for cough, fever, and pulmonary rales were shorter in the EG than in the CG (all P < 0. 001). After treatment, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-8 levels decreased in both groups, with the levels being lower in the EG (both P < 0. 001). Mouse model results showed that both azithromycin alone and in combination with QFHYD could reduce bacterial loads in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung injury scores (all P < 0. 001), with the combination showing more significant effects. Furthermore, western blotting indicated significant reductions in the relative protein levels of Notch1 and Notch2 in mouse lung tissues, with the combination showing more significant effects (all P < 0. 001). In pediatric MPP, the combination of QFHYD and targeted nursing care can significantly enhance clinical efficacy, accelerate symptom relief, and improve the body’s inflammatory state. Based on animal studies, we speculate that the action of QFHYD may be related to the Notch pathway.