Two smaller investigations in non-ICU patients reported on the association between statin use and the host response during suspected or documented infection: in a randomized trial involving 84 hospitalized patients who were not using statins prior to admission TNF-α and IL-6 levels were significantly reduced in patients after treatment with simvastatin [31]; in an observational study in 209 hospitalized patients prior statin use was not associated with altered C-reactive protein levels upon admission [32]. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is infection.