Objective: To investigate the changes and clinical significance of interleukin-6 (IL-6)

IL-8 and IL-1β in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of children with different pneumonia. Methods: A total of 50 children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia admitted into respiratory department of a Children’s Hospital of Shanghai in 2018 were extracted as the mycoplasma group

42 children with Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia were extracted as the bacteria group

and 20 children with abnormal objects in bronchus were extracted as the control group. Levels of IL-6

IL-8 and IL-1β in serum and BALF of three groups were detected by chemiluminescent immunoassay. C-reactive protein (CRP)

procalcitonin (PCT)

white blood cell (WBC) count and neutrophil count ratio were collected and measured. Results: WBC count

CRP and PCT of children with bacterial pneumonia were higher than those of the mycoplasma pneumonia group and the control group (P<0.05). The difference of the neutrophil count ratio in the mycoplasma group and the bacteria group was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The serum levels of IL-6 of children with bacterial pneumonia was higher than that of the mycoplasma group and the control group

and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). The differences in serum levels of IL-8 and IL-1β between the mycoplasma group and the bacteria group were not statistically significant (P>0.05). The serum levels of IL-8 and IL-1 in BALF of mycoplasma group were significantly higher than those of the bacteria group and the control group (P<0.01). The serum levels of IL-6 in BALF of the mycoplasma group and the bacteria group were elevated

and the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusion: Elevated WBC

CRP

PCT

and serum IL-6 can help to diagnose the bacterial pneumonia. The serum levels of IL-8 and IL-1β are significantly elevated in BALF in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia

and IL-8 and IL-1β may be involved in the development of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia and play an important role in the exacerbation of the disease.