To investigate the role of leukotrienes in the pathogenesis of acute respiratory infection in children.

From June 2014 to May 2017, 63 children with acute respiratory at Guangdong Women and Children Hospital and 30 healthy children who received physical examination at the same time were selected as the subjects, urinary leukotriene E4 (LTE4) levels of children with acute respiratory infection and healthy cases were tested. Moreover, urinary LTE4 levels in children with acute respiratory infection were compared by sex, age, severity, pathogen, and allergic state.

Urinary LTE4 level was significantly higher in children with acute respiratory infection than those of in healthy cases (t=20.400, P<0.001). Urinary LTE4 level in the 0-3 years old subgroup was significantly higher than those in the 4-6 and 7-14 years old subgroups (P<0.05), and urinary LTE4 levels were significantly negatively related to age (r=-0.487, P<0.001). Urinary LTE4 level of the bronchopneumonia subgroup was significantly higher than those of the acute bronchitis and acute upper respiratory infection subgroups (P<0.05). Urinary LTE4 levels of the mycoplasma pneumoniae and virus subgroups were significantly higher than that of the bacterial infection subgroup (P<0.05). The level of urinary LTE4 was significantly higher in children with allergic diseases than in those without (P<0.05).

Leukotrienes may be involved in the pathogenesis of acute respiratory infection, and urinary LTE4 levels are related to age, severity, pathogen, and allergic state of children.

Acute respiratory infection; Child; Leukotrienes; Factors