The levels of CXC chemokines, such as interleukin-8 (IL-8) are significantly elevated in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and increased IL-8 levels have been shown to be associated with increased neutrophil infiltration (13,14). This evidence concerns the gene CXCL8 and acute respiratory distress syndrome.