Alternatively, IL-8 levels were higher in SSc-ILD patient serum (16.4 pg/mL, 11.3–24.6 pg/mL vs. 5.8 pg/mL, 4.4–11.7 pg/mL in healthy controls, p <0.01; Fig. 2a) and BALF (15.4 pg/mL, 9.5–32.8 pg/mL vs. 14.5 pg/mL, 2.7–17.1 pg/mL in healthy controls, p <0.01; Fig. 2b). Here, CXCL8 is linked to systemic sclerosis.