Clinical epidemiological characteristics of hospitalized pediatric Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in China

BACKGROUND: Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) is a leading cause of community-acquired pneumonia in children. The COVID-19 pandemic substantially disrupted the transmission dynamics of M. pneumoniae, yet large-scale, nationwide data characterizing the clinical and epidemiological evolution of pediatric MPP in China across the pandemic period remain scarce. METHODS: We analyzed 325,781 MPP hospitalizations from 31 tertiary children's hospitals across mainland China between 2016 and 2023, using the FUTURE Database. Temporal trends and demographic differences in disease severity, co-infections, complications, length of stay (LOS), and hospitalization costs were systematically evaluated. RESULTS: MPP admissions peaked in 2023, accounting for 8.76% of all pediatric hospitalizations. The male-to-female ratio was 1.15:1. children aged 3-6 years accounted for the largest proportion (32.42%), though children aged 6-10 years became predominant in 2023. Severe MPP increased significantly over time (P for trend