In a study of patients with acute hypoxic respiratory failure and bilateral pulmonary infiltrates, low serum levels of NT–proBNP (< 200 pg/ml) were found to be supportive of ARDS while high serum levels of NT–proBNP (> 1200 mg/ml) were supportive of cardiogenic pulmonary edema[21]. This evidence concerns the gene NPPB and pulmonary edema.