Abstract: Objective To evaluate the efficacy, safety and cost of azithromycin in the treatment of pediatric Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia. Methods A total of 220 children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia who were treated in a hospital in 2018 were selected. According to the treatment protocols, these patients were divided into two groups: group A that had 123 patients treated with azithromycin intravenous infusion plus cefuroxime and group B in which 97 patients received azithromycin intravenous monotherapy. The clinical manifestations, length of hospital stay and cost of antibiotics were compared between the two groups. Results There was no significant difference in the general data between the two groups (P>0.05). There was also no significant difference in the clinical symptoms of fever, duration of cough and lung rale, length of hospital stay, clinical effect, or incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups after treatment (P>0.05). However, there was statistically significant difference in the cost of antibiotics and the total cost of hospitalization (P<0.05), The cost-effectiveness ratio of treatment protocols in group B was significantly lower than that of group A. Conclusion Different treatment protocols of azithromycin have similar efficacy and safety in the treatment of pediatric Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia, but azithromycin monotherapy regimens are more economical.

Key words: Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia, azithromycin, effect, cost