Therefore, we hypothesize that peak noradrenaline dose on day 1 should be considered as another marker of the intensity of critical sepsis (along with the APACHE II and SOFA clinical grading systems, which were also independent determinants for BNP rise in this study) rather than an index of circulatory failure or an independent upregulating factor in BNP rise. The gene discussed is NPPB; the disease is Sepsis.