POMC and systemic inflammatory response syndrome: Regarding non-survivors, SAPS III (p < 0.01), cortisol (p < 0.02), ACTH (p < 0.04), eHSP72 (p < 0.05), and IFN-γ (p < 0.02) were higher among septic compared to SIRS patients (Fig. 3a–f).