TNF and systemic inflammatory response syndrome: The admission mean value of TNF-α was 23.9 pg/ml in non-SIRS patients, 24.8 pg/ml in SIRS and 27.6 pg/ml in septic patients, but on the second day there was a significant increase in the mean value in SIRS and septic patients of 382 pg/ml and 407 pg/ml, respectively, versus 36 pg/ml in non-SIRS patients (P = 0.0032).