On the day of intubation, ARDS patient serum had elevated levels of endotoxin activity and IL-6 compared to non-ARDS patients (1.551±1.253 EU/ml vs. 0.178±0.013 EU/ml, and 973.1±638.6 pg/ml vs. 203.1±96.17 pg/ml, respectively, P<0.05 for both, Figure 7B–C). This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and acute respiratory distress syndrome.