Efficacy and safety of combined Linggui Bafa Tui Na and Fuxiong San herbal powder therapy in pediatric Mycoplasma pneumonia.

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of combining Linggui Bafa Tui Na with Fuxiong San in the treatment of pediatric Mycoplasma pneumonia (MP).

METHODS

This retrospective study included 110 children diagnosed with MP at the East Campus of Zhengzhou Children's Hospital between January 2022 and January 2025. Participants were divided into two groups according to treatment regimen: the control group (n = 54) received Linggui Bafa Tui Na alone, while the observation group (n = 56) received combined Linggui Bafa Tui Na and Fuxiong San pasting therapy. Primary outcomes included clinical cure rate, pulmonary function parameters (forced expiratory volume in one second [FEV1], forced vital capacity [FVC], and peak expiratory flow [PEF]), and inflammatory biomarkers (white blood cell [WBC] count, neutrophil count, C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin [PCT]). Secondary outcomes comprised immunoglobulin levels (immunoglobulin A [IgA], IgM, IgG), symptom duration, and adverse effects. Multivariate regression was used to analyze the effects of treatment type and weight on clinical outcomes.

RESULTS

Compared with the control group, the observation group showed greater reductions in inflammatory markers - WBC count (8.5 ± 1.2 → 6.3 ± 0.9, P < 0.001), neutrophil count (4.2 ± 0.8 → 2.9 ± 0.6, P < 0.001), and PCT (0.98 ± 0.12 → 0.47 ± 0.08, P < 0.001) - and more pronounced improvements in pulmonary - FEV1 (75.3 ± 12.4 → 88.7 ± 10.3, P < 0.001), FVC (72.1 ± 13.8 → 85.6 ± 11.2, P < 0.001), and PEF (210.4 ± 45.7 → 270.5 ± 41.2, P < 0.001). The clinical cure rate was significantly higher in the observation group (85.7% vs. 59.3%, P < 0.001), with fewer adverse effects (23.2% vs. 61.1%, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The combination of Linggui Bafa Tui Na and Fuxiong San pasting therapy provides superior efficacy and safety over Linggui Bafa Tui Na alone for pediatric MP, improving clinical outcomes and reducing adverse effects.