Signs and symptoms in patients with and without Mycoplasma pneumoniae, case–control study in Vestfold, Norway 2011
| n = Number of reported results | M. pneumoniae positive | M. pneumoniae negative | Total | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n = 212 (%) | n = 202 (%) | n = 414 (%) | ||
| Sex, male (n = 414) | 111 (52) | 75 (37) | 186 (45) | 0.002 |
| Mean age (95% CI) (n = 414) | 19 (17 to 21) | 34 (31 to 37) | 26 (24 to 28) | <0.001 |
| Symptoms | ||||
| Days of symptoms before first consultation (95% CI) (n = 388) | 8 (7 to 9) | 14 (12 to 16) | 11 (10 to 12) | <0.001 |
| Days of cough before first consultation (95% CI) (n = 261) | 8 (7 to 9) | 13 (10 to 15) | 10 (9 to 11) | <0.001 |
| Cough (n = 410) | 209 (99) | 189 (94) | 398 (96) | 0.030 |
| Rhinitis (n = 256) | 28 (13) | 60 (30) | 88 (21) | <0.001 |
| Temperature >38°C (n = 332) | 133 (63) | 83 (41) | 216 (52) | <0.001 |
| Myalgia (n = 185) | 18 (9) | 21 (10) | 39 (9) | NS |
| Sore throat (n = 285) | 70 (33) | 62 (31) | 132 (32) | NS |
| Expectoration (n = 247) | 54 (26) | 56 (28) | 110 (27) | NS |
| Signs | ||||
| Infected throat (n = 342) | 45 (21) | 40 (20) | 85 (21) | NS |
| Lymphadenopathy (n = 208) | 21 (10) | 19 (9) | 40 (10) | NS |
| Pulmonary findings (n = 393) | 59 (28) | 33 (16) | 92 (22) | 0.005 |
| General condition (n = 178) | ||||
| General condition moderately decreased | 100 (47) | 68 (34) | 168 (41) | 0.040 |
| General condition severely decreased | 9 (4) | 1 (1) | 10 (2) | NS |
| General condition moderately + severely decreased | 109 (51) | 69 (34) | 178 (43) | 0.002 |
| Additional tests | ||||
| Mean CRP (95% CI) (n = 353) | 29 (25 to 33) | 15 (11 to 19) | 22 (19 to 25) | <0.001 |
| Mean ESR (n = 12) | 40 | 10 | – | NS |
| Spirometry done (n = 7) | 2 (1) | 5 (3) | 7 (2) | NS |
| Chest X-ray (n = 32), findings | 10 (5) | 2 (1) | 12 (3) | NS |
| Other positive microbiological tests (n = 23) | 10a (5) | 13b (6) | 23 (6) | NS |
| Other information | ||||
| Chronic pulmonary disease (n = 403) | 22c (10) | 31d (15) | 53 (13) | NS |
| Admitted to hospital (n = 414) | 6 (3) | 1 (1) | 7 (2) | NS |
| Other clinical findings (n = 31) | 16e (8) | 15 (7) | 31 (7) | NS |
↵a Bordetella pertussis = 4, B. parapertussis = 2, Group A Streptococcus = 2, Cytomegalovirus = 1, and Parainfluenza virus = 1.
↵b B. parapertussis = 3, Group A Streptococcus = 3, Chlamydophila pneumoniae = 2, B. holmesii = 1, B. pertussis = 1, Human metapneumovirus = 1, Parainfluenza virus = 1, and coinfection by Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae = 1.
↵c None of the patients were reported to have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 21 (10%) had asthma, and one patient had sarcoidosis.
↵d 22 (11%) had COPD, eight (4%) had asthma, and one patient had earlier experienced two incidences of pulmonary embolism.
↵e Ear symptoms in five (2%), rashes in two (1%), and in nine (4%) miscellaneous small problems. CRP = C-reactive protein. ESR = erythrocyte sedimentation rate.