VEGFA and susceptibility to pneumonia measurement: The mean VEGF level of the septic shock non-survivors was 386.5 ± 524.1 pg/mL, which was significantly lower than that of the patients with pneumonia without organ dysfunction (688.9 ± 616.9 pg/mL, P = 0.005) but comparable to that of the septic shock survivors (219.9 ± 232.1 pg/mL, P = 0.455) (Figure 2).