We have chosen four proinflammatory mediators, including tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-8, IL-12, and interferon (IFN)-γ, and four anti-inflammatory mediators, including interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), IL-4, IL-10 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, to assess the cytokine profile in Gram-positive and Gram-negative severe sepsis. Here, TNF is linked to Sepsis.