Our findings may be important not only because they provide an approach to ARDS prediction but also because they provide new insights into the implications of RAGE pathway in the early pathogenesis of ARDS, with increased plasma levels of sRAGE, a marker of lung epithelial injury and of impaired alveolar fluid clearance9,17,27,28, and potential genetic susceptibility driven by rs2070600. The gene discussed is AGER; the disease is acute respiratory distress syndrome.