NFKB1 and acute respiratory distress syndrome: In ARDS, inadequate GC-glucocorticoid receptor α (GRα)-mediated downregulation of the pro-inflammatory transcription factor nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in circulating and tissue-resident cells leads over time (>4 weeks) to a persistent elevation in plasma inflammatory cytokine levels indicating dysregulated systemic inflammation (5).